US House Resolution Marks Historic Kansas Event

Three hree Kansas lawmakers have introduced a resolution in the U.S. House marking the 155th anniversary of the rejection of a document that would have made Kansas a slave state.

The Lecompton Constitution, named for the territorial capital where it was written, was narrowly defeated by the U.S. House in February 1858, sending leaders back to work on a new document. A constitution prohibiting the institution of slavery in Kansas was written in Wyandotte County and ultimately accepted by Congress.

Kansas became the 34th state to join the Union on Jan. 29, 1861.

The resolution was offered by Republican Reps. Lynn Jenkins, Kevin Yoder and Mike Pompeo. It notes the importance of Lecompton, which has been called “the place where slavery began to die.”