Washington, DC /eNewsChannels/ — This day marks the 145th anniversary of President Lincoln’s sending to the States for ratification the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which promised freedom from slavery and involuntary servitude. In commemorating this day, it is a privilege to honor the sacrifices of those who lived and died in chattel slavery, those who fought to end it, and those who have worked in the decades since for a country free from involuntary servitude.
The United States recommits itself today to pursue a world without modern slavery by utilizing every means necessary to shine a brighter light on this heinous crime, thereby ensuring the protection of victims, the prevention of future occurrences, and the prosecution of traffickers.
With the culmination of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the United States commits to building on global partnerships and to working across borders and barriers to realize the progress and potential of a slave-free world.
The United States will work to ensure that every man, woman, and child, with no preference to national origin or standing in society, may pursue the greatest human right of all: freedom.
