February 8th, 2025- #VRABlackHistory EMANICIPATION: The Promise We Seek, Part 2 “Why Birthright Citizenship, now under attack by President Trump, Was Enshrined in the 14th Amendment (1868)”
The 14th Amendment was one of the Reconstruction Amendments post- U.S. Civil War. A Constitutional amendment was purposefully made to be a difficult thing to create or undo. The President cannot establish or disestablish a Constitutional amendment on a whim; and, therefore is why President Trump’s Executive Order rescinding birthright citizenship is a slap in the face to all Americans.
“‘I’m 12 weeks pregnant. I should be worried about the health of my child. I should be thinking about that primarily, and instead my husband and I are stressed, we’re anxious and we’re depressed about the reality that my child may not be able to become a U.S. citizen,’ [Monica, a medical doctor from Venezuela with temporary protected status] said.” (Judge issues nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, ABC News, February 5, 2025)
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
We hope you enjoy our #VRABlackHistory Series 2025 with the theme
“Facing Extremism: How Our Ancestors Successfully Fought For Our Rights and #WeWillToo”
From the Transformative Justice Coalition and the Voting Rights Alliance
Please note, if you’d like to opt out from only the upcoming daily Black History Month Voting Rights Alliance #VRABlackHistory series, please email carnwine@tjcoalition.org. Unsubscribing at the bottom of this email unsubscribes you to all Transformers, not just from this special February Series.
Reporting by: Caitlyn Arnwine (formerly Caitlyn Cobb). This article was written in 2025 with a complete source list at the bottom. Sources are also cited throughout the article.
Today, February 8th, 2025, we are celebrating emancipation by examining birthright citizenship which is enshrined in the 14th Amendment to give newly freed slaves the rights of a citizen. This is Part 2 of the 3-part exploration of emancipation and what work still needs to be done to fulfill its promise. This mini-series is a part of the 2025 #VRABlackHistory #WeWillToo Series.
“The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. None of the 27 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by constitutional convention. The Congress proposes an amendment in the form of a joint resolution. Since the President does not have a constitutional role in the amendment process, the joint resolution does not go to the White House for signature or approval…A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution as soon as it is ratified by three-fourths of the States (38 of 50 States).” (Constitutional Amendment Process, National Archives, 2016)
