When Colorado became the first state in the union to abolish slavery from its constitution last year — thanks to the efforts of a multi-year, grassroots campaign — people were shocked it hadn’t been done sooner. Many weren’t even aware that slavery was still legal. Yet, buried in our Colorado Constitution, between its declarations of freedom and the rule of law, was a clause that once read: “There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude EXCEPT as punishment for a crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”

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