Or, to take things in the other direction...

[Klisz]

Counterpart to this thread. What if the US Declaration of Independence read "we take these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal"?

 

[Darth_Kiryan]

well, wouldn't it need to be considered in blacks/Negroes are actually people?

 

[Shevek23]

In addition to potentially (depending on whether future rhetoric wants to deny their status as people) including not just Africans but Native Americans as well, the word points toward abolishing gender distinctions as well. Women would clearly be included!

I think the chances of Jefferson choosing the word are effectively zero, though.

 

[DTF955Baseballfan]

Agreed; besides, the word was understood to mean men and women anyway.

I think the best you can do is get an earlier movement toward accepting others as equal. I do still plan to begin a timeline on Jefferson winning in 1796 someday where that happens (I do estate planning and, well, let's just say in addition to personal matters work just started coming out of nowhere the last few months). But, I think it's still going to be slow.

 

[Superwes]

Yes but back in the 18th & 19th centuries, scientists actually believed that non-whites were subhumans.