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Abolitionists

A black and white drawing of a debate in the U.S. Senate in the middle of the 19th century, where Henry Clay is speaking. | Illustration: The United States Senate, 1850, drawn by P. F. Rothermel, engraved by R. Whitechurch; Library of Congress

History

Henry Clay's Deal That Was No Deal: How the Compromise of 1850 Deepened the Slavery Crisis

The Compromise of 1850 was really no compromise at all.

Damon Root | 6.1.2026 8:00 AM

Originalism

Frederick Douglass as Natural Rights Originalist

A fascinating new exploration of Frederick Douglass' constitutional thought.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 8.17.2023 11:55 AM

the-individualist | Lex Villena, Reason

Human rights

Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi: Who Owns Libertarianism?

The authors of The Individualists talk Rand, Friedman, Hayek, Rothbard, and the "struggle for the soul" of the libertarian movement.

Nick Gillespie | 4.12.2023 4:31 PM

culture | Joanna Andreasson. Photos: Wikipedia

Frederick Douglass

How Frederick Douglass Destroyed John C. Calhoun With the Power of John Locke

Armed with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the far-reaching guarantees of liberty and equality that they contained, Douglass took the fight directly to the slaveholders.

Damon Root | 11.14.2020 6:00 AM

culture | Alfadanz/iStock

History

How the Abolitionist Grandfathers of Modern Libertarianism Won by Losing—and Lost by Winning

While Europe was in revolt, America had its own Free Soil revolution of 1848.

Anthony Comegna | 5.23.2020 6:00 AM

book1 | University of Georgia Press

Biography

Meet A.D. Smith, Forgotten Libertarian Abolitionist Hero and Would-Be President of Canada

Anthony Comegna | 11.23.2019 6:00 AM

Volokh Conspiracy

The Anti-Slavery Constitution

Tim Sandefur's excellent NRO column

Randy E. Barnett |The Volokh Conspiracy | 9.13.2019 3:10 PM

Juneteenth | Calyx22/Dreamstime.com

History

It's Time to Celebrate Juneteenth, America's Other Independence Day

Though Juneteenth is first and foremost a celebration of the end of slavery, the day has evolved in the 21st century.

Zuri Davis | 6.19.2019 10:00 AM

telegraph | Library of Congress

Telegraph

The Telegraph Was America's First Singularity

Technological leaps and political upheaval go together like spaghetti and meatballs.

Anthony Comegna | 4.27.2019 6:00 AM

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