Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, a member of the far-left "squad" of lawmakers, made false claims about the Founding Fathers and slavery on Independence Day.
In a tweet, Bush stated, "The Declaration of Independence was written by enslavers and didn't recognize Black people as human." She also called for reparations. However, a closer examination of history reveals that Bush's claims are inaccurate.
The committee responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence consisted of five men: Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Robert Livingston of New Jersey.
While Jefferson penned the first draft, Adams and Franklin made over 80 changes to the document. Adams, in particular, never owned a slave and vehemently opposed the institution, referring to it as a "foul contagion in the human character."
As president, he expressed support for abolitionist efforts and cooperated with them to the best of his abilities.
Sherman, the only Founder to sign all four of America's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, also never owned a slave.
He even opposed a tax on slaves, arguing that it would imply they were property rather than human beings. Sherman consistently opposed slavery, believing that all humans were made in the image of God and deserved to be treated with dignity.
Franklin, on the other hand, did own slaves for much of his adult life. However, during the Revolutionary War, his attitude towards slavery began to change. By 1781, he no longer possessed any slaves.
In 1787, Franklin became president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and sent a petition to Congress seeking the abolition of slavery and a ban on the importation of slaves.
The language used in the petition echoed the sentiments of the Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the equality of all men and their right to pursue happiness.
Jefferson, often associated with writing the Declaration of Independence, also took steps to address the issue of slavery. In 1779, he introduced legislation in Virginia that aimed to ban the further importation of slaves and establish a process for freeing those held in bondage.
Although the bill did not pass, Jefferson continued to support anti-slavery efforts. In 1784, he supported federal legislation that would prohibit slavery in all the territorial lands west of the original 13 states.
While these efforts fell short, Jefferson's actions demonstrate that he did see black people as human and deserving of freedom.
Furthermore, the Northwest Ordinance, passed by the Continental Congress in 1787, outlawed the introduction of slavery in the territory encompassing future states such as Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
The Constitution itself authorized the federal government to ban the importation of slaves in 1808, and Congress voted to do so in 1807. President Jefferson signed the bill into law, which took effect on January 1, 1808. In his 1806 State of the Union address, Jefferson called on Congress to pass legislation to end the importation of slaves.
It is clear that the Founding Fathers were not all "enslavers," as Bush claimed. Figures like Adams, Sherman, Franklin, and Jefferson took steps to address the issue of slavery and promote its eventual abolition.
By misrepresenting their views and actions, Bush is either ill-informed or deliberately spreading falsehoods to support her case for reparations.
it is important to accurately portray the historical context and actions of the Founding Fathers.
While some owned slaves, others actively opposed the institution and worked towards its abolition. By distorting the facts, individuals like Cori Bush undermine the credibility of their arguments and hinder meaningful discussions about reparations.
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