Indiana Democrats are calling on Gov. Mike Braun to formally denounce Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s recent comments defending the Three-Fifths Compromise. The historic clause in the original U.S. Constitution counted enslaved people as ‘three-fifths of a person’ for legislative representation.
Beckwith described the Three-Fifths Compromise as a “great move.”
His comments were criticized by civil rights organizations and religious groups across the state, including the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, the Baptist Ministers’ Alliance and the Indiana chapter of the National Action Network.
Braun said he “doesn’t like” Beckwith’s statements, but Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian noted the governor’s response was lackluster.
“We agree with the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, Baptist Minister’s Alliance and the Indiana Chapter of the National Action Network that the governor’s comments clearly didn’t go far enough in rebuking his own second-in-command,” Tallian said in a statement.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was included in the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and has long been viewed by historians and civil rights leaders as a dehumanizing measure that reinforced the institution of slavery. The 13th and 14th Amendments following the Civil War ultimately rendered it moot.
“As the chief executive of our state, Governor Braun owes it to Hoosiers to stand up for justice and for the truth against these dangerous and historical revisionist comments by Micah Beckwith,” Tallian said. “The governor cannot merely brush off these comments by a member of his own cabinet.”
Now, Indy Democrats are requesting Braun to denounce Beckwith’s defense of the clause and affirm the full humanity of all citizens.
“We are asking for the governor to unequivocally condemn Beckwith’s comments defending the Three-Fifths Compromise as a ‘great move,'” Tallian said.
As of May 13, Braun has not issued further comment in response to the renewed calls for condemnation.
“No Hoosier should be made to feel that they were ever only worth three-fifths of a whole,” Tallian said.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more political news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
