The 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for crime throughout the United States.
At a Glance
- Date
- 6 December 1865
- Location
- United States
- Key people
- Abraham Lincoln
- Category
- Emancipation & Reconstruction
- Source
- 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (ratified Dec. 6, 1865) · National Archives
What It Meant Then
It made abolition permanent constitutional law nationwide.
What It Means Now
Its 'except as punishment' clause remains central to debates over prison labor.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The 13th Amendment Is Ratified.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-13th-amendment-is-ratified/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The 13th Amendment Is Ratified. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-13th-amendment-is-ratified/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The 13th Amendment Is Ratified.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-13th-amendment-is-ratified/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.