Slavery and the Constitution

FAIN: EH-256889-17

Dallas County Community College District (Farmers Branch, TX 75244-4906)
Paul F. Benson (Project Director: March 2017 to February 2021)
Paul Finkelman (Co Project Director: August 2017 to February 2021)

A two-week institute based in Washington, D.C. for twenty-five college and university faculty to explore the relationship between slavery and the Constitution.

Slavery is of over-riding importance in understanding United States history and the moral and constitutional issues raised by slavery are profound. SLAVERY AND THE CONSTITUTION is a proposed NEH Summer Institute to examine the relationship between slavery and the Constitution and will enable 25 faculty members from two- and four-year colleges and universities to study the relationship between slavery and the United States Constitution and will be held in Washington, DC from July 8-21, 2018. Seven eminent scholars will offer seminars, lead scholarly discussions, and provide research assistance on the topic of slavery and the Constitution. The Institute’s scholars will also guide the participants through primary documents and the continuing scholarly debate over the relationship between slavery and the Constitution from its writing to the Civil War.