, ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁Del aware ▁voted ▁to ▁reject ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Constitution ▁and ▁so ▁voted ▁to ▁continue ▁sla very ▁beyond ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁gesture ▁proved ▁fut ile ▁when ▁other ▁states ▁rat ified ▁the ▁am end ment , ▁which ▁took ▁effect ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁and ▁thereby ▁ended ▁sla very ▁in ▁Del aware . ▁In ▁a ▁symbol ic ▁move , ▁Del aware ▁bel ated ly ▁rat ified ▁the ▁am end ment ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 — 3 5 ▁years ▁after ▁national ▁rat ification ▁and ▁ 3 8 ▁years ▁after ▁Lincoln ' s ▁E man cip ation ▁Pro clam ation . ▁ ▁Del aware ▁also ▁rejected ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Am end ment ▁during ▁the ▁Re const ruction ▁Era . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁Even ▁though ▁Del aware ▁is ▁nomin ally ▁a ▁northern ▁state , ▁and ▁was ▁mostly ▁aligned ▁with ▁the ▁Union ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁it ▁non eth eless ▁was ▁de ▁fact o ▁and ▁de ▁j ure ▁seg reg ated . ▁F ear ful ▁that ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁passed ▁by ▁Congress ▁might ▁establish ▁social ▁equality , ▁Del aware ▁legisl ators ▁passed ▁Jim ▁Crow ▁laws ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁which ▁virt ually ▁made ▁black ▁Del aware ans ▁second - class ▁citizens . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁educational ▁system ▁was ▁seg reg ated ▁by ▁operation ▁of ▁law