Congress

• The Thirteenth Amendment, signed in Feb 1861, abolished slavery in the US.
• Civil Rights Act 1866 - anyone born in America had equal rights.
• First Reconstruction Act 1867 - 11 Confederate states divided into 5 military districts. There would be new state constitutions made by elected delegates chosen by all male citizens over the age of 21, regardless of race.
• Fourteenth Amendment 1868 - no state could deny a person full rights as an American citizen.
• Fifteenth Amendment 1870 - reinforced 14th.
• Second Enforcement Act 1871 - overturned state laws which prevented AA from voting and provided federal supervision of elections.
• 24th Amendment 1964 - ended regulation in southern states that only those who paid poll tax could vote.
• Civil Rights Act(Public Accommodations and Employment) 1964 - prevented local juries deciding on cases of discrimination.
• Civil Rights Act(Voting Rights) 1965 - passed 15th amendment into law.
• The Voting Rights Act of 1982 strengthened penalties against discrimination, and there was a Civil Rights Restoration Act under Reagan also.
• There was a general increase in the number of AA holding public office from 100 in 1964 to 8000 in 1992.