Civil Rights Act of 1866 by James Stone

The civil rights act of 1866, originally known as An Act to protect all Persons in the United States in their Civil Rights, and furnish the means of their vindication, was part of the reconstruction movement in the post civil war America. The bill was proposed by Lyman Trumbull of the Senate. This act essentially reaffirmed that ALL men, excluding women, were and are created equal and would be treated "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude." When president Jackson vetoed the bill, many people began to presume that he was a white supremacist, when in fact he only feared slowing and crippling reconstruction. Jackson was more of a free soiler. However, Congress stepped in with its two thirds majority and overrode the veto. This bill promised not only equal rights, it promised the ability to accept inheritance, own land, sue and be sued, give evidence in court, and own property with the same status of white men. This bill also equalized punishment, color no longer played a role in someones punishment. This bill also introduced a punishment of one thousand dollars and/or a year in jail for obstructing someones right, disregarding color, or if they obstruct an execution of a warrant. Finally the bill restated that people born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power are entitled to be citizens. Un-surprisingly this bill did not protect Native Americans, diplomats, and foreign visitors. This bill is closely related to the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution, the 14th amendment finally freed all slaves in the union, and the second Freedmen's Bureau Act of 1866. Even in the 21st century parts of the bill are still in affect, where all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have equal rights. Many called into question the constitutionality of this bill, citing previous court decisions, and in order to quell the questions many in congress sought to quickly pass the 14th amendment. The 14th amendment drew much from this bill and after the 14th amendment was passed the bill was reenacted as part of another bill, the Enforcement Act of 1870. Many racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan vehemently fought against the bill and managed to undermine it and prevent it from immediately securing the rights of African Americans. This bill laid the ground work for black rights, it made it illegal to discriminate on race in jobs and housing, however enforcement of federal penalties were not provided for and were left to the individuals involved. Beacuse many African American families were stuck in poverty, they had no access to adequate legal help, they ended up in more debt then before. In the later half of the 20th century more and more federal penalties have been provided. The bill was originally written to just free all black people but it quickly grew into all ethnic groups. This bill also played a big role in the growing women's rights movement and gay rights movement.

sources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/activism/ps_1866.html
http://www.arch.ksu.edu/jwkplan/law/civil%20rights%20acts%20of%201866,%201870,%201871,%201875.htm
http://www.supremelaw.org/ref/1866cra/1866.cra.htm