In today’s (February 17, 2008) edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joseph M. Torsella, the president and chief executive officer of the National Constitution Center, writes an excellent guest editorial: “The nation’s slave past.”

The Constitution Center will honor the legacy of the 1808 law banning slave trading by presenting a variety of forums dealing with the history of the slave trade and its continuing impact today. With the lack of official commemoration by the U.S. government, such efforts to recognize this seminal event in our nation’s history are needed and welcome.

Katrina Browne and I will participate in one of these forums. We’re working on identifying a date for the two of us to visit Philadelphia, probably in April. When the date is confirmed I’ll announce it here.