Lot 16

[African-Americana] (Fourteenth Amendment) The State of Minnesota Officially Certifies the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution Of the United States

Previous image preload Next image preload

[African-Americana] (Fourteenth Amendment) The State of Minnesota Officially Certifies the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution Of the United States

Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000

Starting Bid: $4,000

(0 Bids)

by Freeman’s
June 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
2400 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA, US 19103

[African-Americana] (Fourteenth Amendment) The State of Minnesota Officially Certifies the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution Of the United States

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States..."

Partially-Printed Document, signed
St. Paul, Minnesota, March 1, 1867. Bifolium, 11 1/4 x 8 1/2 in. (286 x 216 mm). Partially-printed document, being the official certification of the text of the Fourteenth Amendment approved by the Minnesota State Legislature, signed by Secretary State Henry C. Rogers: "I, Henry C. Rogers, Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota, Do Hereby Certify, that the annexed is a true copy of a Concurrent Resolution of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota, Relative to an Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, Approved February 1st, 1867, as taken from the original rolls on file in this office." Manuscript docket on verso. Green paper seal present. Creasing from old folds; two closed tears along center repaired with cello tape; scattered foxing.

The official certification of the 14th Amendment by the state of Minnesota, passed by the Minnesota state legislature on January 16, officially approved on February 1, 1867, and certified here by Secretary of Henry C. Rogers. Printing the entirety of the legislation on the attached integral leaf, signed in type by the Minnesota Speaker of the House of Representatives John Q. Farmer and Thomas H. Armstrong, President of the State Senate.

The Fourteenth Amendment was the second of three Reconstruction Amendments, and one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in American history, defining universal citizenship, and equal protection under law at all levels of government.

Despite the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865 formally abolishing slavery, Republicans in Congress remained concerned about the security of the civil rights for Freedmen in America, especially in former states of the Southern Confederacy. In an effort to further protect those formerly enslaved, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 which guaranteed citizenship without regard to race. However, it was vetoed by President Andrew Johnson, citing discrimination against Southern states due to their lack of representation at the time. The act was quickly passed again, but this time Johnson's veto was overridden in both the House and Senate, and the law took effect. While the passage was a victory, many in the Republican party worried about its enforcement, and desired a stricter protection of Freedmen's civil rights in the form of a constitutional amendment.

In April 1866, after much debate, the Joint Committee on Reconstruction transmitted multiple versions of the amendment to Congress, which were condensed and modified to its present state. While its language received bipartisan support, many Radical Republicans lamented the amendment's focus on only civil rights, and lacked firm protection of political or voting rights. These grievances were what led those such as Thaddeus Stevens to call for the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment shortly afterwards, protecting universal male suffrage.

The Fourteenth Amendment was forwarded to state legislatures in June of 1866, with Minnesota becoming the twelfth state to ratify it. It took effect on April 9, 1868 after South Carolina became the 28th state convention to pass it, and it has since become one of the most litigated amendments to the United States Constitution.

Very rare. We have been unable to locate any other official state certifications regarding the Fourteenth Amendment in the available auction record.
This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Other, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

While Freeman's does not provide packing and shipping services, we do have a list of recommended third party shippers to assist you.

We require a written authorization from the client to release property to any third party. You may either:

Fax a Shipping Release Form to 312.280.1211, or
Email your authorization to [email protected].

Please note that all property must be removed from our premises within seven (7) business days following the last day of the auction. Freeman's reserves the right to charge $5 per lot per day or to deliver said property to a public warehouse for storage at the purchaser's expense. (Please see the Conditions of Sale)

You can find a complete list of recommended service providers for each Freeman's office location at our Shipping and Packing page.

If you have questions about shipping or packing, please contact [email protected].

Freeman’s

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $1,000,000:
32.00%
$1,000,001+:
25.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000