Which state has the darkest history?

10 comments

1. Between the Trail of Tears, the slave plantations, the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Dust Bowl, being the origin of “going postal” and the OKC Bombing, it has to be Oklahoma, right?

2. Oregon was founded as a white race only state.

3. Depends on what measurement you want to use.

4. Virginia’s history is particularly dark. Its original settlers were forced into cannibalism during their first winter in the Americas. It then went on to be origin of the American plantation system and chattel slavery, served as the capital of the Confederacy, saw a massive amount of the fighting during the Civil War, and embraced segregation and racism during the Jim Crow era. In more recent times, it was one of the 9/11 targets (the Pentagon).

5. The precursor to the Civil War was idiots from Missouri burning down my hometown of Lawrence, KS. So even though I currently reside in Missouri, I vote Missouri.

6. South Carolina

7. Hawaii was a sovereign country until some white people did some dodgy shit, so I vote Hawaii

8. Alaska because part of it is above the Arctic Circle and spends many months in complete darkness.

9. Without a doubt New Jersey.

   In 1784 Thomas Jefferson put forth a land ordinance in the Confederation Congress that would have banned slavery in all territory won from Great Britain, North and South. This would have limited slavery to the original 13 colonies along the Eastern Seaboard. It failed to pass by one vote. Back then states each had one vote and needed a certain minimum number of delegates present to exercise that vote. Want to guess which state couldn’t get a quorum? New Jersey. Their guy was “out sick” (probably hungover) and couldn’t make it. <Slow clap>

   From there it has been one thing after another, culminating in Jersey Shore.

10. If we’re talking civil rights era, Mississippi.