Reconstruction
 
 
Introduction
The Surrender of the Confederacy
The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
The Ascension of Johnson
The New Amendments
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Radical Republicans
The Military Districts
Re-building the Southern Economy
Re-Admission to the Union
The Freedmen's Bureau
Riots in the South
Impeachment
Scalawags and Carpetbaggers
Jim Crow Laws
Election of 1869
Compromise of 1877

Memphis Riot of 1866

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was a landmark piece of legislation that marked a turning point in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. It was the first federal law to provide equal rights and protections for all citizens, regardless of race or color. The act was passed in the aftermath of the Civil War and aimed to ensure that the newly-freed slaves were granted full citizenship rights.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was introduced in Congress by Senator Lyman Trumbull, a Republican from Illinois. The bill was designed to protect the newly-freed slaves from discrimination and ensure their legal rights as citizens. The act was passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and was vetoed by President Andrew Johnson. However, Congress overrode his veto, making the act a law.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 declared that all people born in the United States were citizens and entitled to the same rights as white citizens. It prohibited any form of discrimination based on race or color, including discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The act also provided for the enforcement of these rights by giving the federal courts jurisdiction over cases involving civil rights violations.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was a significant step towards racial equality in the United States. It granted full citizenship rights to African Americans, ensuring that they were no longer considered second-class citizens. The act also paved the way for future civil rights legislation, such as the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which provided equal protection under the law for all citizens, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

However, the implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was not without challenges. Southern states, which had been the heart of the Confederacy, were resistant to change and continued to practice discrimination against African Americans. White supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan used violence and intimidation to maintain the status quo, making it difficult for African Americans to exercise their rights under the law.