ABSTRACT
For a few years after the Civil War ended in 1865, it looked as if four million blacks would enter the mainstream of society. In whatamounted to a revolution in black status, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution ended slavery, promised ‘equal protection of the laws’ to both races, and granted suffrage to black males [Doc. 1, p. 140]. Congress used this authority to enact the nation’s first civil rights laws, recognizing blacks as citizens with inviolable rights, prohibiting racial violence, and opening public accommodations and conveyances to all. As a consequence, many former slaves legalized their marriages, moved about without passes, attended school, testified in court, voted and held political office, and decided for whom and how long they wished to work.
