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America may be turning 250, but it's only been 160 years since slavery was abolished

WBUR

Published July 3, 2026 at 11:06 AM CDT

America is celebrating it’s 250th anniversary this year, but its only been about 160 years since the 13th Amendment was passed, abolishing slavery.

For the writer Mitchell S. Jackson, whose ancestors were enslaved in this country, this year’s anniversary is a reminder of how long after America’s founding it took for many who lived here to be free.

From Jackson’s hometown of Portland, Ore., Deena Prichep reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.