Submitted by: Submitted by beast909
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Words: 308
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Category: US History
Date Submitted: 10/24/2015 11:04 PM
African-American Freedoms
Freedoms for blacks were limited socially between 1865 and 1900 because of the determined segregation that ran through the South during this time. African-Americans were rarely allowed to “hang out” with the whites in schools, churches, or other common social events. This caused not only low literacy rates in black populations, but also caused a mass miscommunication between races. The Black Codes only further enforced segregation and illiteracy. The Black Codes were a set of state laws that massively limited what blacks could do. Socially, the Black Codes meant the blacks could not marry white citizens, stand on jury, or travel without permits.
Politically, African-Americans faced limitations majorly in the ability to vote, or disenfranchising. First, they were not allowed to vote at all, but after a number of amendments were past, the South had to get creative. They started enforcing literacy tests, and usually the whites received easier ones than the blacks. Also, poll taxes began to be enforced, and most African-Americans were too poor to pay them. Further, blacks were not allowed in Congress. Eventually, with the 16th Amendment, the South could no longer jump around the bush, and all black men were finally allowed to vote freely.
Economically, African-Americans were limited to jobs, homes, and pay. The way the sharecropping lands were organized and priced forced blacks to stay on the farm, usually the ones they were slaves to previously. They never could really save up money, and were in a constant state of broke, never able to fully repay the owners they were renting the land from. Also, jobs, even jobs in the North, never wanted to hire African-Americans unless there was no other source for hire. So, when blacks had the ability to work, it was usually when businesses were slow, meaning little pay.