The Status of Former Slaves By, Ari Cohen, Doug Waine, Carter Riskind, Keith Egger

Our Claim Not all legislation was used to benefit freed slaves, although the three of many pieces of legislation that was passed, attempted to improve the lives of newly freed slaves, such as giving them equal rights and also helped them integrate into society.

Civil Rights Bill of 1866 “All persons born in the United States...are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States; and such citizens, of every race and color, without regard to any previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall have the same right, in every State and Territory in the United States, to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evidence, to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property, and to full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be subject to like punishment, pains, and penalties, and to none other, any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, to the contrary notwithstanding.” 1 ➔ Gives slaves equal rights in all states ◆ Provided former slaves protection from state laws. ◆ Hoped to eliminate the black codes; took power from state made laws. ➔ Gave freed blacks the same right as whites. ◆ Protected the specific rights of blacks from the black codes ◆ Gave them rights that they needed to negate the black codes and vote in the south. ➔ Blacks will be subjected to the same punishments as whites. ◆ Blacks can no longer be put back into slavery to pay off fines. ◆ Says to ignore all other state laws that might be in place against this. 1. COLFAX, SCHUYLER, and LAFAYETTE FOSTER. PBS, "The Civil Rights Bill of 1866." Last modified April 6, Accessed October 11,

Freedmen’s Bureau ➔ The freedmen’s Bureau was established in 1865 to aid the black slaves in the transition to freedom. ◆ The bureau’s role in the rehabilitation of the black slaves was to issue clothing, food, and helped with the operation of camps and hospitals. ◆ also took control and redistributed all lands abandoned and seized during the war. ◆ For rehabilitation the bureau did these things. ●creation of labour and jobs for freed person’s ●creation of 3000 publics schools ●protection and legal services in the courts ● resettling of ex-slaves on redistributed lands ● investigated racial conflicts

Civil Rights Bill of 1875 ➔ All Citizens of the United States no matter what race, were allowed to enjoy the accommodations of all inns, public transportation, movie theaters, and all other places of amusement ◆ If anyone did not let all races use the accommodations they could have been fined up to be $1,000 or one year in jail ◆ The victim could file a civil suit in damages, in which they could have been awarded up to $500 or more ◆ Any person no matter their race could serve on a jury ◆ The Bill was not successful, because the Supreme court ruled the Bill unconstitutional in 1883 ◆ This Bill was a good attempt to improve the lives of freed slaves, but the white population opposed this bill significantly, which led to its failure

CITATIONS ➔ PBS, "The 1866 Civil Rights Act." Last modified April 9, Accessed October 8, ➔ Benedict, Michael. Gale Cengage Learning, "Civil Rights Act of 1875." Accessed October 8, ailOverType=&query=&prodId=UHIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules= &mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPage=&disableHig hlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&ac tion=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE|CX ➔ PBS, "Freedmen's Bureau ( )." Last modified Accessed October 8, ➔ National Archives, "Freedmen's Bureau ( )." Accessed October 8,