Slavery in the Constitution

Constitutional and legal historian Paul Finkelman explains the critical role slavery played in the founding of the United States and how the politics of slavery shaped the U.S. Constitution in ways that are still evident today. Join host Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Ph.D., and Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). (This episode originally aired in Apr. 2018.) Visit the new resource page for this episode (2025), which includes essential ideas and teaching recommendations from the conversation, updated resources, and a complete transcript. And educators! Get a professional development certificate for listening to this episode—issued by Learning for Justice. Listen for the special code word, then visit learningforjustice.org/podcastpd.