In 1619, there was no country and no constitution for the United States. Slaves were captured in Africa and shipped to the shores of what would later be the United States, mainly in the southern portion. There was no country and no laws which would control it. In the latter 1700’s, the country of the United States of America was formed. In the Northern half, the trend toward abolition began to swell. Benjamin Franklin was one of the early leaders. Over the next 80 to 90 years, it swelled into what drove the civil war which abolished slavery. The idea that the New York Times is trying revisionist history to inflict guilt on the entire country stinks to high heaven. They should be called on this effort by most all of us. They are really lousy for trying this.
“Benjamin Franklin was one of the early leaders.”
Most of Franklin’s life he was a slave owner.
Toward the end of his life he began printing abolitionist literature.
Just be aware.