When the U.S. Constitution was written in 1787, it created a new system of government that promised liberty and justice. But not everyone was included in that promise. At the time, political rights like voting, holding office, and full participation in government were mostly limited to white men who owned property. Women and Black Americans—both free and enslaved—were left out of these early definitions of citizenship and political power.

Even though they were excluded, many people spoke out and demanded change. Some of the earliest voices for equality came from women and Black Americans who believed that the ideas of the Revolution—like freedom and natural rights—should apply to everyone.

Abigail Adams and Women’s Rights

Abigail Adams, the wife of future President John Adams, was one of the first well-known women to speak up about the need to include women in the new government. In a letter to her husband in 1776, she famously asked him to “remember the ladies” when creating laws for the new country. She warned that if women continued to be ignored, they might one day demand more power.

While Abigail Adams didn’t have the legal power to make political changes herself, her letters and ideas helped start conversations about women’s rights. She believed that women should have more say in how they were governed—especially since they were expected to follow the laws like everyone else.

Lemuel Haynes and Equal Liberty

Lemuel Haynes was a free Black minister who served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War. After the war, he used his writing and sermons to argue that the values of liberty and equality should be extended to all people, including Black Americans. In 1776, he wrote an essay called Liberty Further Extended, where he said that slavery went against the very ideas of freedom that the colonies had fought for.

Haynes believed that it was wrong to speak of freedom while still allowing slavery and racism. He used the words of the Declaration of Independence to make the case that all people are created equal—not just white men.

Prince Hall and the Fight for Education and Rights

Prince Hall was a free Black man in Boston who fought for equal rights in many ways. He helped found a Black Masonic lodge, supported education for Black children, and petitioned the government to end slavery and protect the rights of free Black people.

Hall wrote and spoke about the unfair treatment of Black Americans. He believed that education and political involvement were key to gaining respect and rights in society. He also challenged leaders who ignored the suffering of enslaved people while celebrating freedom.

A Call for Inclusion

The people who helped build the new nation often left out large parts of the population. But women like Abigail Adams and Black leaders like Lemuel Haynes and Prince Hall showed that not everyone stayed silent. They used their voices, writing, and actions to remind the nation that freedom should be for everyone—not just a few. Their early efforts laid the groundwork for future struggles for equality.

Source: Expanding Rights – The Voices Left Out of the Constitution
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