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“No negro or freedman shall be allowed to come within the limits of the town of ...

Oct 11, 2023

“No negro or freedman shall be allowed to come within the limits of the town of Opelousas without special permission from his employers. Whoever breaks this law will go to jail and work for two days on the public streets, or pay a fine of five dollars. “No negro or freedman shall be permitted to rent or keep a house in town under any circumstances. No negro or freedman shall live within the town who does not work for some white person or former owner. “No public meetings of negroes or freedmen shall be allowed within the town. “No freedman shall be allowed to carry firearms, or any kind of weapons. No freedman shall sell or exchange any article of merchandise within the limits of Opelousas without permission in writing from his employer. “Every negro is to be in the service of (work for) some white person, or former owner.” —“Black Codes,” Opelousas, Louisiana, 1865 10. An important result of the enactment of “Black Codes,” such as the ones excerpted above, was to (A)convince many radical and moderate Republicans that a more extensive Reconstruction program was needed. (B)encourage large numbers of African Americans to leave the South and move to Northern cities. (C)prod the Supreme Court to play a more active role in defending the constitutional rights of African Americans. (D)push President Andrew Johnson to replace several southern governors with former Union generals who would ensure that African-American rights were guaranteed.

Key Concept

KC-5.3.II: The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, but the Black Codes, enacted by southern states, aimed to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans, effectively reestablishing social and economic control over them.

Explanation

The Black Codes, such as the ones excerpted above, were laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866, after the Civil War, designed to restrict African Americans' freedom and force them to work in a labor economy based on low wages or debt. These laws provoked outrage in the North, leading many Republicans to believe that a more extensive Reconstruction program was needed to ensure the rights and freedoms of African Americans. This led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th Amendment, which aimed to counteract the Black Codes and protect the rights of African Americans.

What were the Black Codes?, What was the response in the North to the Black Codes?, What was the impact of the Black Codes on Reconstruction?