this day in history, February 2, 1865, the state of Rhode Island ratified the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment permanently bans slavery in the United States.

In 1783, Moses Brown, and other Quakers, sponsored a petition and campaigned to abolish slavery in Rhode Island. After a contentious battle, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed the Gradual Emancipation Act of March 1, 1784. According to this act, children born to slaves would not remain slaves and masters could free healthy slaves between the ages of 21 and 40 without assuming financial responsibility.