Civil Rights Act <strong>of</strong> 1875An Act to Protect All Citizens <strong>in</strong> <strong>The</strong>ir Civil and Legal Rights.Whereas it is essential to just government we recognize the equality <strong>of</strong> all men before the law, and hold that it is theduty <strong>of</strong> government <strong>in</strong> its deal<strong>in</strong>gs with the people to mete out equal and exact justice to all, <strong>of</strong> whatever nativity,race, color, or persuasion, religious or political; and it be<strong>in</strong>g the appropriate object <strong>of</strong> legislation to enact greatfundamental pr<strong>in</strong>ciples <strong>in</strong>to law:<strong>The</strong>refore, Be it enacted, That all persons with<strong>in</strong> the jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> the United States shall be entitled to the fulland equal enjoyment <strong>of</strong> the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>ns, public conveyanceson land or water, theaters, and other places <strong>of</strong> public amusement; subject only to the conditions and limitationsestablished by law, and applicable alike to citizens <strong>of</strong> every race and color, regardless <strong>of</strong> any previous condition<strong>of</strong> servitude.Section 2. That any persons who shall violate the forego<strong>in</strong>g section by deny<strong>in</strong>g to any citizen, except for reasons bylaw applicable to citizens <strong>of</strong> every race and color, and regardless <strong>of</strong> any previous condition <strong>of</strong> servitude, the fullenjoyment <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges <strong>in</strong> said section enumerated, or by aid<strong>in</strong>gor <strong>in</strong>cit<strong>in</strong>g such denial, shall, for every such <strong>of</strong>fense, forfeit and pay the sum <strong>of</strong> five hundred dollars to the personaggrieved thereby . . . and shall also, for every such <strong>of</strong>fense, be deemed guilty <strong>of</strong> a misdemeanor, and upon convictionthere<strong>of</strong>, shall be f<strong>in</strong>ed not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or shall be imprisoned not lessthan thirty days nor more than one year. . . .Discussion Questions‣ Is it surpris<strong>in</strong>g that Congress passed a law similar to the 1965 Civil Rights Act one hundred years earlier? Whywas this was not effective?Available <strong>in</strong> Library <strong>of</strong> Congress Primary Resource Set “<strong>Jim</strong> <strong>Crow</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>America</strong>”http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/civil-rights/pdf/civilrightsact.pdfamerica<strong>in</strong>class.org 22
1883: Supreme Court Overturns 1875 Civil Rights Act<strong>The</strong> Civil Rights Act <strong>of</strong> 1875, “guaranteed that everyone, regardless <strong>of</strong>race, color, or previous condition <strong>of</strong> servitude, was entitled to the sametreatment <strong>in</strong> "public accommodations" (i.e. <strong>in</strong>ns, public conveyances onland or water, theaters, and other places <strong>of</strong> public amusement).” <strong>The</strong>law was rarely enforced, partly due to the withdrawal <strong>of</strong> federal troopsby President Hayes. <strong>The</strong> US Supreme Court declared it unconstitutionalunder the 14 th Amendment because it regulated <strong>in</strong>dividuals rather thanstates. <strong>The</strong> consequences <strong>of</strong> this decision led to separate-but-equalpolicies and second-class citizenship for African <strong>America</strong>ns.america<strong>in</strong>class.org 23
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