One reason I became a historian is because I became convinced that knowledge of the past can help and guide us in the present. While history may not always repeat itself, it is accurate to say that there is nothing new under the sun. 

I am reminded of these things as we mark the 39th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. What I am reminded of exactly is that the legalization of abortion is not the first time that America has denied the personhood of a certain segment of its population. Unfortunately, there are a number of instances in which America has been guilty of this injustice. But none is greater than the injustice of racial slavery. While abortion and racial slavery are not comp…

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