Thomas G. West

"The growing openness to members of all the world's races was always possible under the terms of the Declaration of Independence, which, as Lincoln noted, made a transracial principle, the equal natura…"

"lacks definitely were part of "we the people" who made the Constitution of 1787."

"Most of the Constitution's Framers knew, and many said, that slavery was wrong."

"Blacks got federal passports implying that they were citizens... The Articles of Confederation stated that "the free inhabitants of these states... shall be entitled to all privileges of immunities of…"

"Companion website to Vindicating the Founders"

"Contributor page at Claremont Review of Books website"

"When the decision was finally made to accept blacks as full citizens, the founders' principles provided the theoretical foundation. Lincoln's revival of the declaration in the 1850s had prepared the w…"

"What defines a people is not race, not tradition, not geography, but the free choice of a group of human beings to live together as fellow citizens."