I had not realized that Tennessee was not as pro-Confederacy as the other Southern states. In fact, it was only the narrowest margin that caused this state to secede. Interestingly enough, on January 13, 1965, Andrew Johnson (who became Lincoln's vice-president but months later), sent a message to the president announcing an amendment to the state constitution that forever banned slavery within their state. And on this date in 1965, the citizens of Tennessee voted to approve this measure. Unfortunately, later on that year, the Ku Klux Klan also began in this state.
For more information:
http://famousdaily.com/history/the-us-state-of-tennessee.html
http://www.newsinhistory.com/blog/tennessee-convention-bans-slavery-after-%E2%80%98spicy-debate%E2%80%99
http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/stories/emancipation
I love these little "this day in history" tidbits.
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