samuel howell's case was lost, but the words live on.certainly seems to contradict the facts that jefferson was a slave holder himself, and in it, it reveals the inherent challenge in what we are struggling for, that all men with created equal. and what would that mean over the course of american history? that very person, that very samuel howell, was my great great great great grand uncle many generations ago in my family history. samuel howell is one of the great examples of those who challenged what it meant to be human and free in america. this is my family, a black family, who have fought since the beginning of this country for the full measure of human freedom and self-determination. the second founding of america is well documented by eric froner in his deep analysis how the united states wrestled with the inherent flaw in our founders' idea of who would be granted freedom and personhood under our constitution. it would take the victory of the civil war and the passage and the ratification of the 13, 14, and 15 amendments as well