, April 9, 1866 A.D. Civil Rights Act of 1866
39th United States Congress
Long title:	CHAP XXXI. — An Act to protect all Persons in the United States in their Civil Rights, and furnish the Means of their vindication.
Authored by:
Introduced by:
Dates
Date passed:	House:April 9, 1866 Senate:April 6, 1866.
Date signed into law:	1866
Amendments:
Related legislation:

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is a piece of United States legislation that gave further rights to the freed slaves after the end of the American Civil War.

Consequences

A far-reaching consequence of this act is that since 1866, it has been illegal to discriminate in housing based on race. However, federal solutions were not provided for, and remedies were left to the individuals involved. Because those being discriminated against had limited access to legal help, this left many victims of discrimination without recourse. Since the latter half of the 20th century, there have been an increasing number of remedies provided under this act, including the landmark Jones v. Mayer decision in 1968.

Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first major anti-discrimination employment statute. This act prohibited employment discrimination based on race and color. This Act has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to protect African Americans, Asian Americans, white Americans and other groups.

Based on Shaare Tefila Congregation v. Cobb, 481 U.S. 615 (1987) 107 S.Ct. 2019, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 covers people of the Jewish religion because at the time the act was passed, Jewish people were considered a distinct race. Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 protects from discrimination identifiable classes of persons who are subjected to intentional discrimination solely because of their ancestry or ethnic characteristics. Similarly, Arabs are protected under the act.

Footnotes

1. Shaare Tefila Congregation v. Cobb, 481 U.S. 615 (1987) 107 S.Ct. 2019 | finduslaw

See also

• American Civil Rights Movement
• Radical Republicans

References

• Herman Belz. A New Birth of Freedom: The Republican Party and Freedom Rights, 1861 to 1866 (2000)
• Eric Foner. Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 (1988)

External links

• Text of Civil Rights Act of 1866 - 42 U.S. Code 21 §§1981, 1981A