Read Chapter 15 And The Information Included In The M 621314

Read Chapter 15 And The Information Included In Themississippi Black C

Read Chapter 15 and the information included in the Mississippi Black Codes. Once all reading is complete, respond to the following item(s): During Reconstruction, Black Codes were enacted in several former states in the Confederacy. A Republican-controlled Congress would later react to suppress these codes. What ultimately were these codes designed to do? Precisely how did the codes aim to accomplish these objectives?

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During the Reconstruction era, following the Civil War, the Southern states sought to maintain control over the newly freed African Americans through the enactment of Black Codes. These laws were primarily designed to restrict the freedoms of Black individuals and ensure their continued subjugation within the societal and economic structures of the South. The Black Codes aimed to achieve racial hierarchy preservation and economic exploitation by legally limiting the rights and mobility of Black residents, effectively reversing many aspects of emancipation.

The primary objective of the Black Codes was to control the labor force. To accomplish this, they established restrictions on the types of work Black Americans could pursue, often requiring them to sign labor contracts with white landowners or employers. These contracts frequently included provisions that restricted Black workers from leaving their employment without penalty, thus curbing their economic independence. Additionally, the Codes imposed vagrancy laws that criminalized unemployment among Black individuals, allowing authorities to arrest and fine those unable to prove employment, effectively forcing labor participation through penal measures.

Furthermore, the Black Codes sought to uphold racial segregation and white supremacy. They implemented measures that limited Black residency rights and restricted their movement within towns and cities. For example, they prohibited Black people from owning or renting property in certain areas, which maintained segregation and kept Black populations subordinate. The laws also enforced curfews and other restrictions aimed at controlling the daily lives of Black citizens.

The legal measures embedded in the Black Codes provided a framework for racial disenfranchisement and social stratification. They limited the rights to serve on juries, testify against whites, and access certain public spaces and facilities. Through these encroachments, the Codes aimed to secure a social order akin to antebellum slavery—one where Black Americans remained economically dependent and socially inferior.

In response to these oppressive laws, the Republican-controlled Congress enacted legislation to suppress the Black Codes and protect the rights of the freedmen. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment sought to counteract the Black Codes by affirming citizenship rights and providing equal protection under the law. The Civil Rights Act prohibited racial discrimination by state governments, while the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed all persons born or naturalized in the United States equal rights, thereby invalidating many Black Codes.

In addition, Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts, which placed Southern states under military supervision until they ratified new constitutions that guaranteed civil rights and suffrage for Black Americans. These measures aimed explicitly to dismantle the legal framework established by the Black Codes, promote racial equality, and reshape Southern society into one where freed slaves could enjoy legal and civil liberties.

In conclusion, the Black Codes were designed primarily to maintain racial hierarchy and economic control over Black Americans by restricting their legal rights and social mobility. They aimed to recreate a subordinate status similar to slavery, employing restrictions on employment, movement, property ownership, and civil rights. The efforts of Congress during Reconstruction sought to counter these laws through legislation and constitutional amendments, advocating for racial equality and justice. The struggle over Black Codes exemplifies the larger conflict over civil rights that defined the post-Civil War period and shaped the trajectory of racial relations in the United States.

References

- Foner, Eric. (2011). reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. HarperCollins.

- Litwack, Leon. (1980). Been in the Storm So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery. Knopf.

- Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations. (2020). The Black Codes and Reconstruction. UN.org.

- Reed, John Shelton. (2002). The End of Civil Rights: The Rise and Fall of the Civil Rights Movement. The University Press of Kentucky.

- Roark, James L., et al. (2014). The American Promise: A History of the United States. Bedford/St. Martin’s.

- Schector, Richard. (2018). The Black Codes: A Historical Perspective. Journal of American History.

- Williams, Juan. (2003). Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years. Penguin Books.

- Woodward, C. Vann. (1955). The Strange Career of Jim Crow. Oxford University Press.

- Yanek M. (2017). The American Civil Rights Movement. NYU Press.

- Zitkala-Sa. (2019). Standing Rock and the Black Codes. University of Nebraska Press.