Rhode Island backed a pro-slavery amendment 165 years ago. Now lawmakers look to repeal it.

By: Nancy Lavin

Outlets: Rhode Island Current

Published: June 3, 2026

Words: 1,207

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 3 days ago

Body Text Preview

Daniel Trafford can rattle off dates of Civil War battles and publications down to the month and day without hesitation.

But the State House publicist and history buff had no idea Rhode Island lawmakers attempted to prevent the Civil War by ratifying a constitutional amendment that would have protected slavery as a states’ rights issue.

“I had never heard of it before,” Trafford said in an interview. “I was shocked.”

The Corwin Amendment, …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us