The 14th amendment to our Constitution was ratified 150 years ago today. Section 1 contains the transformational provisions of birthright citizenship, equal protection of the laws, protection of privileges & immunities & the right to due process. 
These provisions were essential to ensuring full citizenship for newly freed slaves and protection for Blacks from the effort by States to limit the rights of Blacks.
The critical opening lines of the second sentence “No state shall...” along w/Section 5 of the Amend represents a fundamental re-ordering of the relationship betw the fed govt & the states. The fed govt is empowered to protect citizens vs the discriminatory acts of the states.
Critical as well is the language extending equal protection and due process rights to “any person” - Not just to citizens. All persons in our country are guaranteed equal protection of the laws and the right to due process before being deprived of life, liberty or property.
Birthright citizenship is also a powerful provision that not only ensured citizenship for newly freed slaves but for all Black ppl. In Dred Scott, the SCOTUS led by CJ Roger Taney, said that Black ppl - all Black ppl - were not citizens - imperiling free Black ppl as well.
But the provision - designed first & foremost to ensure citizenship for Blacks - guarantees citizenship for anyone born on our soil - a democratic innovation that set the U.S. apart from much of Europe. The brilliant scholar @marthasjones_ has a new book out that is a MUST READ.
It’s a good day to read this piece: nyti.ms/2IQPxRM
“The 14th amendment...’hit the reset button on American democracy.’” nyti.ms/2IQPxRM
And, given tonight’s planned announcement of the President’s SCOTUS nominee, it’s a good day to read this: politi.co/2zmkFJu via @politico
