“Illinois Rejects Slavery”
In
the summer of 1824, the Illinois General Assembly was on the brink of
changing the state constitution to permit slavery outright. Though the
Northwest Ordinance designated Illinois a “free territory" in 1787,
proslavery sentiment in southern Illinois was strong and challenged the
efforts to keep the new state of Illinois free. Caroline Kisiel, Illinois Humanities Road Scholar, will present on the people and events that culminated in Illinois remaining a free state.
