Last Updated on July 6, 2024 by BVN
Overview: The Thirteenth Amendment abolished chattel slavery, but legal systems of oppression have evolved into modern-day slavery within the prison industrial complex, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown individuals. California’s proposed ACA 8, commonly known as the End Slavery In California Act, and Proposition 47 (Prop 47) aim to address these injustices. ACA 8 echoes the importance of social justice work and recognizes the need for comprehensive reform to ensure that every individual is treated with dignity and respect. The passage of these measures is crucial to eradicate social evils and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Jamial Black
On July 5, 1852, at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, Frederick Douglass delivered a powerful address organized by the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. In his speech, Douglass declared that laudatory statements about American values such as liberty, citizenship, and freedom were a grave offense to the enslaved population who were denied these very rights. He highlighted not only the brutal captivity of enslaved people but also the relentless exploitation, cruelty, and torture they endured. Yesterday marked the anniversary of this speech, and today, as California considers reforms to its legal and penal systems, Douglass’s words resonate, urging us to reflect on how far we have come and the injustices that persist.
Contrary to popular belief, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished chattel slavery, however legal systems of oppression found new forms which included a clause that permits involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. This sadistic loophole has evolved into a form of modern-day slavery within the prison industrial complex, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown individuals.
The systemic biases ingrained in our legal and penal systems perpetuate past injustices, underscoring the need for immediate reforms this upcoming election, such as California’s proposed ACA 8, commonly known as the End Slavery In California Act, and Proposition 47 (Prop 47).
Prop 47 was passed in 2014 and aimed to address some historically racist systemic issues by reclassifying certain non-violent criminal offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. This bold measure aimed to reduce mass incarceration and relieve its devastating impact on communities of color. However, this journey towards true justice and equality is ongoing and will take a collective effort to see equitable results. Recent discussions around amending Prop 47 highlight the need to balance public safety with the imperative of social justice.
“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist”
Angela Davis, American Political Activist
ACA 8 echoes how crucial it is for this type of social justice work to coexist at a pivotal time in history where we are being the change that we would like to see in this world. Understanding ACA 8 and its intersection with Juneteenth symbolizes equality, freedom, and justice for all. In the land of the free, we must all make a full and final declaration that any and every form of slavery is immoral and illegal. An inherently coercive and exploitative act should never be experienced by anyone. The reality that we are living in a time where classism and racism are current dialog throughout the country indicates a dream deferred in our beloved community. Slavery in the guise of any other name, such as involuntary servitude, is still SLAVERY!
Indentured servitude—cloaked in the guise of American justice—represents a profound moral and ethical failing. Forcing individuals into such conditions is not only unjust but also perpetuates a system of human exploitation that we can no longer tolerate. It is imperative that we recognize and address these social evils which undermine the very rights enshrined in our foundational documents.
I stand with my fellow Americans and Californians in demanding comprehensive social justice reform and holding our legislators accountable for enacting transformative policies. We cannot continue to allow our leaders—whom we have entrusted with power—to hold individuals hostage and subjugate them based on past mistakes, depriving them of the benefits of their own labor. The monetization of human labor in this manner is tantamount to modern-day human trafficking, and it is our duty to eradicate such practices from our society.
Together, we must advocate for policies that protect human rights and ensure that every individual is treated with dignity and respect. The outcome of this legislation will affect everyone, including those who hold the power to decide. This is not just a call for reform; it is a call for justice and humanity.
This call to action is for everyone who has endured subjugation for far too long and continues to fight tirelessly for liberation, freedom, and justice. The ethical, moral, and social injustices embedded in our government are outdated, cowardly, and a blatant violation of our human rights. We have only one choice: to correct the wrongs of the past and eliminate the last remnants of legalized involuntary servitude. Supporting the passage of ACA 8 and Prop 47 in California is our chance to eradicate social evils in this land of justice and opportunity. What side of history will you stand on?
Jamial Black is a Public Voices fellow on Racial Justice in Early Childhood with the OpEd Project in partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute, advocate and organizer dedicated to helping underserved families receive educational equity and justice. He is also a current fellow of 2024 Center for Third World Organizing: Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program The Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP).