But Maryland didn’t act until 1864, when it held a referendum — and even then, the outcome wasn’t at all certain. The vote tipped in favor of abolition only after the absentee ballots of ...

Thus did the voters of Maryland narrowly adopt a new Constitution in 1864 that uniquely among border states still in the Union freed tens of thousands of enslaved men, women and children.

showcasing our history and the work being done by the Annapolis Commission on Maryland’s Constitution of 1864 and the Abolishment of Slavery. The city invites you to celebrate the 150th ...