IL SR0065

Designates February 2013 as Thirteenth Amendment Ratification Month in Illinois to commemorate the state's ratification of the amendment on February 1, 1865, the first state in the nation to do so.

Recognizes Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby's urging of immediate ratification, which occurred within 3½ hours of the U.S. House of Representatives' approval on February 1, 1865.

Acknowledges the Thirteenth Amendment's abolition of slavery nationwide, which became law on December 18, 1865, after ratification by 27 states (19 northern/western and 8 southern).

Encourages Illinois schools, civic organizations, and other institutions to study the Thirteenth Amendment's passage, ratification, the leaders involved, and its effects on Illinoisans and Americans during Black History Month observance.

Notes the amendment's historical significance as a turning point in American race relations and the beginning of a path toward greater civil rights including Brown v. Board of Education, the Selma Civil Rights March, and beyond.