The Black Codes: These laws were enacted by southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of African Americans. They included provisions that prohibited blacks from voting, serving on juries, testifying against whites in court, and owning firearms.
The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871: This law was passed by Congress to enforce the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed African Americans the right to vote and equal protection under the law. The law made it a federal crime to interfere with the civil rights of African Americans, including the right to vote.
The Civil Rights Act of 1875: This law further strengthened the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments by prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations and jury service. It also gave the federal government the power to prosecute individuals who violated these rights.
The Jim Crow laws: These laws were enacted by southern states in the late 1800s and early 1900s to segregate African Americans from whites. They included provisions that prohibited blacks from attending white schools, using white public facilities, and intermarrying with whites.
These laws effectively prevented African Americans from participating in the political process and denied them equal access to justice and other basic civil rights.