Facts on 1 January
1808 - U.S. Federal Ban on the Importation of African Slaves

On this day, a federal law went into effect prohibiting the importation of enslaved Africans into the United States. While slavery itself remained legal, this marked a significant moment in the fight against the transatlantic slave trade, following Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution, which allowed Congress to act 20 years after ratification.

Today's Other facts
Next » « Previous