Did Black Lives Matter in Early Illinois? Voices from the Brink of Slavery and Freedom

In 1818, Illinois entered the United States with a Constitution declaring itself a free state, following the guidance of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance, which outlawed slavery north of the Ohio River. But slavery’s roots went back centuries in the region, and its hold on the young state was strong.

In the first years of statehood, the Illinois legislature included a number of proslavery advocates who made a bold attempt to change the Constitution to allow slavery. They had already succeeded in building limited slavery clauses into the 1818 Constitution which were to sunset in 1825, and they now wished to expand this foothold.

Others vehemently fought against them, ultimately prevailing to preserve the free state. Learn how salt production in Equality fits into this struggle.