Mike Pence (Gage Skidmore)
Twitter lashed out at Mike Pence when he recognized Black History Month by acknowledging Lincoln’s submission of the 13th amendment, rather than commending Black activists who rallied for slavery’s end.
The vice president made the post about the legal document that ended enslavement on Feb. 1, which was the first day of the annual celebration of Black contributions to American history. The tweet did not mention Lincoln’s declaration he simply freed enslaved Blacks to help save the union.
As #BlackHistoryMonth begins, we remember when Pres. Lincoln submitted the 13th Amendment, ending slavery, to the states #NationalFreedomDay
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 2, 2017
The post garnered more than 10,000 likes, a couple thousand retweets and more than five thousand replies, many of which called out the Christian conservative’s failure to celebrate the many Black people who deserve recognition during the yearly observance.
Some pointed out the 13th amendment did not actually free enslaved Blacks but resulted in other rules and institutions designed to oppress Black people instead.
@VP emancipation is not black history. It did not free slaves, just deligitimized slavery. Black history is what we did for America.
— Chris Chandler (@cjchandler77) February 2, 2017
@callme_Nique_ @saintspoon 13th Amendment just moved slavery to prison(the government then started writing laws to put blacks there instead)
— William Powell (@WillPowellArt) February 2, 2017
@VP Racism didn’t end when slavery ended. It’s embedded in our institutions and carried forward with racist public policy.
— Kristina Wong ❄️ (@mskristinawong) February 2, 2017
Several users shared their reaction to Pence placing a white man at the center of Black History Month.
https://twitter.com/crumpernickel/status/827012764552007684
https://twitter.com/JoelJGibbs/status/827134630050529281
https://twitter.com/SymoneDSanders/status/826985849405501440
https://twitter.com/CarmenCruz303/status/827213212886114304
@VP ……he was white. This is BLACK History Month.
— cx cope (@cxcope) February 2, 2017
So instead of Mike Pence to choose a prominent black civil rights leader for Black History month he chooses Lincoln for freeing the slaves🤔
— Jordan (@Ray_G95) February 2, 2017
One offered a suggestion for other Black leaders Pence could have tweeted about.
@VP George Washington Carver, Jackie Robinson, Tuskegee Airmen, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday…
— SENATOR HORSE PISS (@TriviumPaolo) February 2, 2017
Others were unsurprised by the tweet.
Mike Pence doesn't give a hoot about Black History Month. I don't think anyone needs another to tell them that.
— ╵၀❤️𝘦 მ╵🆆მㄚЅ̥ (@unicornrainbows) February 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/mlangfordx/status/827005695065260033
Of course Mike Pence would celebrate Black History Month with a tweet about a white guy. https://t.co/RYyDFZk34i
— #FreeKeithDavisJr (I'm the one with the podcast) (@xoamelia) February 2, 2017
Celebrities also chimed in, including Ava DuVernay, who directed the Oscar-nominated documentary “13th,” about the amendment at the center of the discussion.
Maybe remember when ACTUAL BLACK PEOPLE did stuff? Besides Ben Carson + Omarosa of course. And um, about the 13th amendment… oh nevermind. https://t.co/dIPV6YAeS4
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) February 2, 2017
@VP PS You’re tacky as hell. I hope there are RAVES & Rainbows outside of your house every day for the next 4 years.
— Claudia Jordan (@claudiajordan) February 2, 2017
The 13th amendment which assured that 1 in 3 black males experience jail or prison by way of systematic oppression. https://t.co/Tz71ty6N7p
— Trey Songz (@TreySongz) February 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/noredavis/status/827203374038843394
