WEBVTT - 090923 Way Black History Fact - Vermont was First to Ban Slavery

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<v Speaker 1>Stick around. We got a lot more in store. But

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<v Speaker 1>first it's time for the Way Black History fact, So

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<v Speaker 1>we have to move on. Today's Way Black History Effect

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<v Speaker 1>is sponsored by Underground Beach Club From the Streets to

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<v Speaker 1>the Beach. For the Laiston Beach where visit Underground Beachclub

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. All right, we're shouting out Vermont. We're shouting

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<v Speaker 1>out Vermont. We're shouting out Vermont. Please tell me why. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you why. Long before Vermont became our fourteenth state,

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<v Speaker 1>it's people were known for their independence. They were not

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<v Speaker 1>excited about joining the new United States, nor did they

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<v Speaker 1>want to remain part of the British Crown. They liked

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<v Speaker 1>being independent and made that clear to the other colonies

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<v Speaker 1>on more than one occasion. Such an opportunity came on

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<v Speaker 1>July second, seventeen seventy seven, in response to abolitionist calls

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<v Speaker 1>across the colonies to end slavery, Vermont became the first

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<v Speaker 1>colony to ban it outright. Not only did Vermont's legislator

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<v Speaker 1>legislature agree that to abolish slavery entirely, it also moved

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<v Speaker 1>to provide full voting rights for African American males On

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<v Speaker 1>November twenty fifth, eighteen fifty eight, Vermont would again underscore

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<v Speaker 1>this commitment by ratifying a stronger anti slavery law into

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<v Speaker 1>its constitution. Now this is a slow story, but they

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<v Speaker 1>were working on it. Vermonta July second, seventeen seventy seven

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<v Speaker 1>action was undoubtedly a historic event. The proclamation underscored the

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<v Speaker 1>growing discontent many had with slavery and the slave trade,

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<v Speaker 1>particularly in the colonies of North of the North, where

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<v Speaker 1>the Quaker led abolitionist movements were taking root. Earlier in

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<v Speaker 1>seventeen seventy seven, New England area colonies Rhode Island and

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<v Speaker 1>Connecticut had outward overseas slave im sorry outlawed overseas slave importation,

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<v Speaker 1>but still allowed inter colony slave trade. Regardless of the

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<v Speaker 1>good legal intentions of New England legislators, Black Americans continue

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<v Speaker 1>to be treated with disdain and cruelty in the North.

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<v Speaker 1>While Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut abolitionists achieve laudable goals,

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<v Speaker 1>each state created legal structures making it difficult for free

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<v Speaker 1>lacks to find work on property or even remain in

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<v Speaker 1>the state. Rhode Island, while legally ending slave importation from overseas,

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<v Speaker 1>continued to have the highest number of slave auctions in

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<v Speaker 1>the New England States. Additionally, Rhode Island's laws governing the

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<v Speaker 1>treatment of African Americans free or slave were continually revised

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<v Speaker 1>and updated and were among the harshest in the colonies.

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<v Speaker 1>If free blacks associated with slaves, they could both be whipped.

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<v Speaker 1>Anyone giving an African American a cup of hard cider

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<v Speaker 1>was leveled with a level sorry with a heavy fine,

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<v Speaker 1>whipped or both. Vermont's July seventeen, seventy seven Declaration was

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<v Speaker 1>not entirely altruistic either. While it did set an independent

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<v Speaker 1>tone from the Thirteen Colonies, the declarations wording was vague

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<v Speaker 1>enough to let Vermont's already establish slavery practices continue. Now

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<v Speaker 1>I want to say this shout out to Vermont for

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<v Speaker 1>being first. Didn't get it all the way right, but

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<v Speaker 1>did something where no other states were doing it. And

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<v Speaker 1>having been to Vermont being carried on two radio stations

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<v Speaker 1>in Vermont, I want to take a moment to shout

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<v Speaker 1>out Wool Vermont WOOL ninety one point five FM and

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<v Speaker 1>w f VR ninety six point five FM, both of

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<v Speaker 1>them carrying this show that you're hearing right now. Having

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<v Speaker 1>been to Vermont. I have seen how the people in

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<v Speaker 1>Vermont still kind of embody this humanistic approach to politics,

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<v Speaker 1>human first, love first, empathy first, sort of approach. I

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<v Speaker 1>want to I want to share this. I drove through

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<v Speaker 1>this place and never anywhere else before since have I

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<v Speaker 1>seen more signs. I know there's not a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>black people out there, but signs talking about supporting black people,

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<v Speaker 1>supporting trans people, supporting marginalized people. I couldn't imagine a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of people like that lived there. But there's a

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<v Speaker 1>place that is as close to heaven as I've seen

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<v Speaker 1>in this country. And I call it Vermont, and I

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<v Speaker 1>have another person who witnessed it alongside me, and so

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<v Speaker 1>shout out to Vermont. That's an exact up of becoming

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<v Speaker 1>a better ally.