AL To Purge Racist Language From State Constitution

September 6, 2021 Politics, Racism

The Birmingham News reports:

An advisory panel for a voter-approved effort to make changes to the 120-year-old Alabama Constitution is studying three sections that had racist language or racist intent.

The Committee on the Recompilation of the Constitution held a public hearing at the State House on Friday. The committee did not make recommendations because it is still receiving public comments.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the recompilation project by a 2-to-1 margin in November 2020. In May, the Legislature passed a resolution setting up the 10-member recompilation committee.

The Hill reports:



Section 32, according to its text, outlaws slavery and states that there is no involuntary servitude “otherwise than for the punishment of crime, of which the party shall have been duly convicted.”

Section 256, which concerns the public school systems, states “separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.”

Section 259 allows for the use of poll taxes to support public schools in the counties where they are collected.

Tags

© joemygod.com 2024