Introduction
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which freed enslaved African Americans. Following its end in 1865, Reconstruction appeared as an attempt to transform African Americans’ lives and guarantee them freedoms and human rights. However, this historical context initiated Black Codes – new political order benefiting white people – as it tried to restrict African Americans’ labor, mobility, and authority. The initiation of Black Codes signs resistance to the progress made during post-war Reconstruction.
Discussion
The primary cause of the Black Codes is the Southerners’ willingness to rebuild a political and social system akin to slavery. Although the Union victory freed 4 million enslaved people, they needed support during Reconstruction from 1865 to 1877 since they had insecure livelihoods. However, they could not receive this protection under Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the U.S., considering that this historical figure believed the federal government could not interfere with the state’s policies. Meanwhile, Sharkey – the provisional governor of Mississippi – was the first to embrace Black Codes as the most oppressive regulations in the South. Apart from them, Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist organization fighting for white supremacy, used violence to attack African Americans and bring them under the South’s control. Hence, this historical context points to the constant fight between supporters of Black Codes and Reconstruction.
The adoption of Black Codes was an instant process in the South. After Mississippi signed these restrictive regulations in 1865, states such as Virginia, Florida, and Georgia continued this procedure in 1866. The Codes required African Americans to be constantly employed under the annual labor contracts for the lowest possible pay. However, Reconstruction supporters continued to challenge them, offering Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. This response weakened Black Codes’ restrictions, promoting equal protection under the law.
Conclusion
To conclude, Reconstruction following Civil War aimed to improve African Americans’ rights and opportunities. However, the Southern rulers were against such a policy, forcing them to embrace Black Codes. This policy restricted African Americans’ freedoms, forcing them to be under subjugation to white people. Although intimidation and violence faced by freed populations perpetuated systemic racism and inequality in the U.S., Reconstruction’s goals reduced Black Codes’ effects.
Bibliography
Hamilton, Robin N. “The (1866) Black Codes.” Around Robin, Web.