Profs & Pints DC: The Wickedness of the Three-Fifths Clause

Profs and Pints DC presents: “The Wickedness of the Three-Fifths Clause,” a deep dive into the troubling hidden history of the Constitution, with Richard Bell, professor of history at the University of Maryland.

The original United States Constitution looked both ways. Its preamble announces its purpose to secure “the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,” an important acknowledgement that liberty is the goal and right of all citizens. Yet, most constitutional scholars regard the 1787 Constitution as being vigorously pro-slavery, something that becomes apparent when we take a long hard look at its infamous Three-Fifths Clause.

Be on hand as Richard Bell, a history professor who has given thrilling Profs and Pints talks on the Hamilton musical, Benjamin Franklin, and other subjects, returns to the virtual stage to explore how the Three-Fifths Clause came into being. He’ll look at how the Constitutional delegates did their work, reconstruct all…