No Slavery No Exceptions
Prohibition of the Exception of Slavery and Involuntary Servitude
Amendment T-A Colorado Referred Measure on the November 2016 ballot
“There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment
for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” – Article II, Section 26, Colorado
State Constitution
Problem
Although the Colorado Constitution adopted Article II, Section 26 in the 19th century, neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude has ever been completely abolished from either the state or
national constitutions. Both constitutions provide an exception for the continued enslavement of
human beings - if they have been convicted of a crime.
Solution
We passed through the Colorado legislature a referred measure to the 2016 ballot that strikes the
language “except as a punishment for a crime, whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted,” from Article II, Section 26 of the Colorado State Constitution. Colorado voters will
vote on this amendment to our constitution in November.
Why it Matters
This language in Article II, Section 26 of the Colorado State Constitution is archaic – it was
written in the nineteenth century, during a period in our country’s history when not all people
were treated with human dignity, nor were all people seen as human. Now in the twenty-first
century, it is time to dismantle this symbol of racial division. As Colorado, we must take hold of
this crucial opportunity to be the state that leads our nation towards truly providing and
protecting freedom for all.
Freedom and equality are fundamental Colorado values, which ought to be reflected in our state
constitution. All Coloradans deserve to have both freedom and equality assured to them, and
removing the exception in the Colorado constitution is the first step in exercising our values for
all.
Our Colorado communities, families, schools, and places of worship must focus on healing racial
divides. Healing begins with removing racially dividing symbols that are no longer a part of our
identity as Coloradans; this process will allow us to work towards unity with an identity founded
in freedom and equality.
As people of faith, we believe that slavery is not a human value. We believe that no one is a
slave – with no exceptions! Now is the time to strike the archaic language contained within our
Colorado constitution and begin the process of healing racial divides to unify and strengthen our
community.
Read statements from faith leaders here: http://www.togethercolorado.org/documents/NoSlavery-No-Exceptions-Op-Eds-from-Together-Colorado-Faith-Leaders.pdf
www.togethercolorado.org/issues/lifelines-to-healing
FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
May4,2016
TogetherColorado,Faith&CommunityLeadersSuccessfulinLegislature:
With65-0Vote,AmendmenttoRemoveArchaicSlaveryLanguagefromCO
ConstitutionHeadstoNovemberBallot
DENVER–TogetherColorado,faithleadersandcommunitymemberstodaycelebratedthepassageof
SenateConcurrentResolution006andapplaudedall100Coloradolegislatorsfortheirleadershipin
unanimouslymovingtheNoSlaveryNoExceptionsmeasuretotheNovember2016stateballot.
Wednesdaymorning,inarareshowofbi-partisanagreement,theconcurrentresolutionpassedthe
Houseonthirdreadingwithunanimoussupport,65–0.LastweekitpassedtheSenate,alsowith
unanimoussupport.ConcurrentresolutionsdonotrequiretheGovernor'sapproval.Themeasurewill
appearontheballotthisNovember.
SponsoredbySenatorJessieUlibarriandRepresentativesJoeSalazarandJovanMelton,SCR006
wouldamendthestateConstitutiontocompletelyabolishslavery,withnoexceptions:
Currently,Article2Section26,states:
“Thereshallneverbeinthisstateeitherslaveryorinvoluntaryservitude,exceptasapunishmentfor
crime,whereofthepartyshallhavebeendulyconvicted.”
The“NoSlaveryNoExceptions”campaignseekstostrikethe"except”provisionfromthestate’s
constitution,achangewhichwould:remove19thcenturylanguagefroma21stcenturyconstitution,
helphealracialdivides,andpromoteastrongerandunitedColoradocommunity.
“Everyonehasarighttobetreatedwithhumandignity;tolove,liveandthrivewithoutfear,“said
SharonBridgeforth.“SlaveryisnotaColoradovalue.Webelievethatnooneisaslave–withno
exceptions.”BridgeforthistheTogetherColoradoBoardPresidentandthePresidentoftheNational
AssociationofColoredWomen’sClubs,Inc.
The“NoSlaveryNoExceptions”campaignwasorganizedbyfaithleadersofTogetherColorado
includingPastorDelPhillips,ReverendNelsonBock,ReverendTawanaDavis,RabbiBernardGerson,
andReverendJannHalloran.
“Healingbeginswithremovingraciallydividingsymbolsthatarenolongerapartofouridentityas
Coloradans,”saidReverendTawanaDavisinastatement.“Thisprocesswillallowustoworktowards
unitywithanidentityfoundedinfreedomandequality.”
*TogetherColoradoisamulti-faith,multi-racialcommunityorganizationcomprisedof150
congregations,schoolsandfaithleadersthroughoutthestateofColoradoworkingtogethertoput
humandignityatthecenterofpubliclifeinColorado.Wetransformourcommunitiesthrough
communityorganizing,traininglocalcommunitymemberstoactontheirownbehalfontheissues
thatmostdeeplyimpacttheirlives,including:education,healthcare,publicsafety,immigrationand
aneconomythatworksforeveryone.
Formoreinformation:www.togetherco.org,[email protected],or303-399-2425.