The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on December 6, 1865, and it abolished slavery in the United States. This amendment was a major milestone in Black history as it formally ended the institution of slavery, which had been legal in the country since its founding.

The 13th Amendment states: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Although the 13th Amendment marked the formal end of legal slavery, it did not fully guarantee equal rights and protections for Black Americans. The period following the amendment's ratification, known as Reconstruction, was marked by significant challenges and continued oppression for newly freed slaves.

Despite these challenges, the 13th Amendment remains a crucial part of Black history and a symbol of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States.