Alabama Constitution Section 32 - Slavery prohibited; involuntary servitude.
Alabama Constitution – Section 32: Slavery prohibited; involuntary servitude
Text of Section 32:
"That slavery shall not exist in this state; nor shall any involuntary servitude, otherwise than for the punishment of crime, of which the party shall have been duly convicted."
Explanation:
Section 32 of the Alabama Constitution declares that:
Slavery is prohibited in the state of Alabama.
Involuntary servitude is also banned, except as a punishment for a crime—and only if the person has been duly convicted of that crime.
Key Points:
This language closely mirrors the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which also outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime.
The exception clause ("except as punishment for crime") has historically allowed forced labor in prisons—this has been a subject of debate and reform in recent years.
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