The 14th Amendment and the History of Reconstruction

Run time: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Sherrilyn Ifill, Pamela Brandwein, and Ilan Wurman explore the historical events that gave rise to the 14th Amendment and debate its original meaning. Listen on We the People or Watch on America's Town Hall

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14th Amendment

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Read interpretations in the Interactive Constitution

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