The thirteenth amendment is the most consequential amendment on the United States Constitution. Rather than just explain what it is, why not just read it yourself?
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
This amendment to the Constitution specifically tackles the issue of the emancipation of all slaves in the United States, protected by the federal government. This meant that any free man should never be allowed to be put under slavery and have it protected under federal law, as rights are always against the state. In the brief read through, one can clearly see a clause that could pose a serious problem. In the amendment, it states "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." This means that anyone can be a slave if they are convicted of a crime. This simple loophole forever changed America, because black Americans were being sentenced for long periods for petty crimes. They would be forced by the state and private prisons to work for pennies, even nothing on the hour, all because they may have been sentenced for loitering, or minor drug offenses.
The first time that this was brought to true public spotlight was the film, 13th, by Ava DuVernay, where she shares the specific details as to what the prison industrial complex is: a government loophole that allows prisons work prisoners for countless hours for nearly no pay. She brought in activists, historians, and writers to help explain how the thirteenth amendment led to generations of the disenfranchisement of African Americans as a result of the "punishment for crime" clause. This documentary brought many opinions that contributed to the evolving discussion on how to reduce burden for races that have been hurt because of previous American policy.
While this film did provide more conversation to race relations, at this moment in time, there has not been significant policy changes, and with the recent Trump election, there has been a bigger crackdown on non-violent drug offenses than with the past president. Regardless of what happens in the future, this film will forever be mentioned as one of the most important documentaries on American rights, and it just won three Emmys to add to its impact.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_(film)
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/30/movies/13th-review-ava-duvernay.html?mcubz=3
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