(1) The economic contributions of enslaved Af-
rican Americans to the American economy between 
1691 and 1860 were immeasurable. This labor force 
was used to build the foundations upon which Amer-
ica stands today. 
(2) From the 16th through the 19th centuries, 
most colonial economies in the Americas were de-
pendent on human-trafficking and the use of 
enslaved African labor for their survival. This in-
cluded the North American mercantile and shipping 
sectors that were dependent on slave-produced cot-
ton, rice, sugar and indigo, and the profits derived 
from triangular trade with the West Indies, Africa, 
and Europe. 
(3) Enslaved Africans in the United States 
were also recognized as an important element in the 
political and economic capital in the nation’s polit-
ical economy. 
(4) Over the course of 246 years, slaves con-
tributed an estimated 605 billion hours of forced 
free labor, the gain from which provided ‘‘seed cap-
ital’’ for the American economy, helped finance the 
birth of American finance and industrial sectors, 
contributed to the growth of most of the ‘‘Fortune 
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500’’ companies, and ultimately assisted the nation 
in financing both world wars. 
(5) During the Civil War, after Union forces re-
pelled a Confederate invasion at the battle of Antie-
tam in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the 
Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all 
slaves in states then in rebellion would be ‘‘forever 
free’’ as of January 1, 1863. By his action, Lincoln 
added a new and revolutionary dimension to the na-
tion’s war aims: from being a conflict to preserve the 
Union, the Civil War grew to be a crusade to end 
black slavery and fulfill the promise of the Declara-
tion of Independence. 
(6) In the spring of 1864, Charles Sumner in-
troduced an anti-slavery amendment in the Senate, 
much like the amendments that were introduced in 
the House by Representatives James Ashley and 
James Wilson in December of 1863, which declared 
all persons as equal, prohibited the slavery, and 
granted Congress the power to enforce these provi-
sions. After extensive debate, the 13th Amendment 
was formed from this proposal, with the omission of 
the declaration of equality of all persons, and passed 
the Senate on April 8, 1864, by a vote of 38–6. 
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(7) Debates between abolitionists and sup-
porters of slavery focused on the moral issue of slav-
ery and various interpretations of ‘‘natural law’’. 
Representative John Farnsworth of Illinois stated 
that ‘‘the old fathers who made the constitution be-
lieved that slavery was at war with the rights of 
human nature’’, and pointed out the contradiction 
between the existence of inalienable rights and the 
institution of slavery. Some members within the Re-
publican Party, such as Charles Sumner, sought an 
interpretation of the Constitution that rejected slav-
ery as incompatible with moral law. 
(8) President Lincoln took an active role in pro-
moting the 13th Amendment in Congress. He en-
sured that the Republican Party’s 1864 election 
platform included a provision supporting a constitu-
tional amendment to ‘‘terminate and forever prohibit 
the existence of Slavery’’. His efforts were met with 
success when the House passed the bill on January 
31, 1865, with a vote of 119–56. 
(9) On February 1, 1865, Illinois became the 
first state to ratify the proposed 13th Amendment; 
it was joined by 17 other states by the end of the 
month. Georgia ratified on December 6, 1865, be-
coming the 27th of 36 states to approve the Amend-
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ment, thus achieving the constitutional requirement 
that it be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Sec-
retary of State William Seward declared the 13th 
Amendment to be part of the Constitution on De-
cember 18. 
(10) The Smithsonian National Museum of Af-
rican American History and Culture (hereafter re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘NMAAHC’’) was es-
tablished by an Act of Congress in 2003, in Public 
Law 108–184. 
(11) It is fitting that the NMAAHC receive the 
surcharges from the sale of coins issued under this 
Act because the Museum is devoted to the docu-
mentation of African American life, and, among 
other areas, encompasses the period of slavery and 
the era of Reconstruction. 
(12) The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a 
commemorative coin, which would have no net cost 
to the taxpayers, would raise valuable funding to 
supplement the endowment and educational outreach 
funds of the NMAAHC. 
SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS. 
(a) DENOMINATIONS.—The Secretary of the Treas-
ury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) 
shall mint and issue the following coins in commemoration 
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of the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the passage of the 
13th Amendment: 
(1) $50 BI-METALLIC
PLATINUM
AND
GOLD 
COINS.—Not more than 250,000 $50 coins, which 
shall— 
(A) have a weight, diameter, and thickness 
determined by the Secretary; and 
(B) contain platinum and .9167 pure gold. 
(2) $20 GOLD COINS.—Not more than 250,000 
$20 coins, which shall— 
(A) weigh 33.931 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 32.7 millimeters; 
and 
(C) contain .900 pure gold. 
(3) $1 SILVER COINS.—Not more than 500,000 
$1 coins, which shall— 
(A) weigh 31.103 grams; 
(B) have a diameter of 40.6 millimeters; 
and 
(C) contain .999 fine silver. 
(b) LEGAL TENDER.—The coins minted under this 
Act shall be legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of 
title 31, United States Code. 
(c) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For the purposes of sec-
tions 5134 and 5136 of title 31, United States Code, all 
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