Congress passes and President Millard Fillmore signs the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850, transforming the capture of freedom seekers from a state matter into a federal responsibility and converting the entire apparatus of federal law enforcement into an instrument of …
U.S. CongressMillard FillmoreFederal commissionersFederal marshalsSlaveholders+1 morefugitive-slave-actslave-powerfederal-complicityinstitutional-corruptionkidnapping+1 more
The Supreme Court issues its decision in Prigg v. Pennsylvania, 41 U.S. 539 (1842), with Justice Joseph Story writing for an 8-1 majority that strikes down Pennsylvania’s “personal liberty law” and establishes sweeping protections for slave catchers that enable systematic …
Supreme CourtJustice Joseph StoryJustice John McLeanEdward PriggMargaret Morgan+1 morefugitive-slave-actsupreme-courtslaverykidnappingjudicial-corruption+1 more
Congress passes and President George Washington signs the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, federal legislation enforcing the Constitution’s Fugitive Slave Clause (Article IV, Section 2) by authorizing slaveholders and their agents to pursue freedom seekers across state lines and establishing …
U.S. CongressGeorge WashingtonFederal judgesSlaveholdersFreedom seekersslaveryinstitutional-corruptionfugitive-slave-actfederal-complicitydue-process-violation