“B” is for Black Codes (1865-1866). In 1865 with little directions coming from Washington and with the South in economic and social chaos, the former states of the Confederacy drew up “Black Codes” to clarify the standing of African Americans. In South Carolina, the General Assembly adopted its Black Codes in December 1865. The three main laws addressed three general areas: new rights following abolition, new restrictions following abolition, and more specific decrees directed toward the labor issue. Whether viewed as practical solutions or racist abuses, the Black Codes were certainly political mistakes. When Congress convened in December 1865 it set out to overturn the Black Codes. The Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867, and the Fourteenth Amendment all nullified the Black Codes and created a foundation for a new South.
“B” is for Black Codes (1865-1866)
