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非裔美人長久以來就為了能被含括在「權利法案」所規定的各項自由權利之中而奮鬥
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新興的美國於1791年12月15日通過權利法案 (Bill
of Rights)
然而，憲法會議與梅森的看法卻有一點不盡相同。一直到1808年，這些制憲元勳仍然允許販賣奴隸。梅森認為奴隸交易根本就是「對人類的不尊重」。他認為奴隸也應該得到自由與受教育的機會。因為這些開國元勳無法解決包括這項議題在內的問題，於是美國才會發生血腥的內戰。後來，經過一百年之後，美國各州與地方法律才得到修改，讓非裔美人能夠享有，並實踐「權利法案」所規定、確保的各項自由。而1950年代與1960年代的公民權利運動，更讓美國人開始對種族隔離與歧視的現象有所警覺。
There was one issue, however, that the Constitutional Convention did not resolve to Mason's liking. The founding fathers compromised, permitting the continuation of the slave trade through 1808. Mason called the slave trade "disgraceful to mankind." He wanted instead to free and educate slaves. Because of the inability of the founding fathers to resolve the slavery issue, among other problems, Americans struggled through a bloody Civil War. Yet, it would take another hundred years to remove a web of state and local laws that prevented African Americans from a fuller exercise of freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s helped raise the awareness of Americans to the injustice of segregation and discrimination.
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