Black Codes
Black codes in the late 1800s were a set of laws that were created to make sure previous slaves
did not get a higher social ranking than the white people. Even though slavery had just been
abolished, people still felt threatened by the newly freed black citizens. Southerners were afraid
that they would lose any kind of civil authority, so President Johnson created a set of laws that
disabled any sort of real freedom for the black population. Many of these codes were just petty
small rules that essentially only served one purpose; to make the life harder of newly freed
slaves.
The two primary sources listed, went into depth about what the black codes were and how they
affected the black population. They were created to make sure the white southerners
maintained their higher class authority over the newly freed slaves. Most of these laws ensured
that black people couldn't make as much money, they couldn't sell certain popular things, they
couldn't own certain buildings, etc. Most sources came directly from the laws that were put into
place in 1865. These sources are great for finding more information on what the black codes
were. I had previously not known about the black codes. I would have interpreted them as
codes that helped people communicate, like the underground railroad. However, after reading
more in depth about these black codes, I am more educated on them and how ridiculous they
were. White southerners were so insecure about their social status that they had to punish
newly freed black people to the point that they couldn't even make enough money to support a
family.
In Excerpts from The South Carolina Black Codes,one of the first codes limits the ability of " A
person of color who is in the employment of a master engaged in husbandry shall not have the
right to sell any corn, rice, peas, wheat, or other grain, any flour, cotton, fodder, hay, bacon,
fresh meat of any kind, poultry of any kind, animal of any kind, or any other product of a farm,
without having written evidence from such master that he has the right to sell such product."
This code's purpose was only to make sure a black person couldn't sell anything without having
written permission from a master. Knowing how the white southerners are, no chance would a
master grant permission; they would want all of the profit.
From the same article, it also lists "It shall not be lawful for a person of color to be owner, in
whole or in part, of any distiller where spirituous liquors, or in retailing the same, in a shop or
elsewhere." This code doesn't allow a black person to become an owner of any kind of alcohol
shop. The purpose of this law is to prevent a person of color from selling something that a white
person could be profiting off of.
In Mississippi Black Codes,one code is listed as "Provided, that the provisions of this section
shall not be construed as to allow any freedman, free Negro, or mulatto to rent or lease any
lands or tenements, except in incorporated towns or cities, in which places the corporate
authorities shall control the same." This code blocks any freed black person from renting or
buying land. There isn't much of a point to this, besides for white people wanting to make sure
that they get all of the money. They don't want the black community to profit off of anything,
because they want to have a higher social status.
Comparing the textbook entry about black codes, to the actual source of codes there are many
differences; the main one being that the actual sources go into depth. They list the full codes
that were shared and put into place. Reading these two primary sources helps to understand
the Reconstruction era because it shows an insight of what it was like back in 1865. Reading
the actual codes shows the language difference, as well as how people were treated back then.
Because they are primary sources, they come directly from 1865 and were actually seen, used,
and put into place.