Congress and African Americans

Question 1

1865- 13th Amendment.

Answer 1

Abolished slavery and all slaves were formally freed

Question 2

1866 Civil Rights Act

Answer 2

Extended rights of the emancipated slaves, stated that any person born in the US was a US citizen regardless of race. Overrode a veto from Pres Johnson

Question 3

1868- 14th Amendment

Answer 3

Gave all freed blacks their US citizenship and equal protection under the law.

Question 4

1870- 15th Amendment

Answer 4

Forbade the denial of the vote to any man on the basis of colour, race or “previous conditions of servitude”

Question 5

1871 Civil Rights Act

Answer 5

AKA, KKK Act. Prohibited ethnic violence vs African Americans

Question 6

1875 Civil Rights Act

Answer 6

Prohibited discrimination in public education, public transport and prohibited exclusion from jury service. The SC decided it was unconstitutional in 1883.

Question 7

1957 Civil Rights Act

Answer 7

Established Civil Rights commission and was primarily a voting rights bill. It also eventually led to the integration of schools following 1954 Brown v Topeka.

Question 8

1960 Civil Rights Act

Answer 8

Established federal inspections of local voter registration polls and introduced penalties to anyone who obstructed someone’s attempt to register to vote.

Question 9

1964 Civil Rights Act

Answer 9

Prohibited discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex and national origin by federal and state governments as well as some public places.

Question 10

1965 Voting Rights Act

Answer 10

Prohibited racial discrimination in voting. Designed to enforce the voting rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendemts, it also outlawed literacy tests and poll taxes as a way of accessing a person’s voting fitness.

Question 11

1968 Civil Right Act / Fair Housing Act.

Answer 11

Prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion and national origin.

Question 12

1987 Civil Rights Restoration Act

Answer 12

Specified that recipients of federal funds must comply with civil rights laws in all areas, not just in the one that they receive funding. Overrode a veto from Reagan.

Question 13

1990 Civil Rights Act

Answer 13

Sought to protect job discrimination against minorities and women after 6 Supreme Court decisions the previous year made the burden of proof of discriminatory hiring practices rest on the employer, not employee. Vetoed by Bush.

Question 14

1991 Civil Rights Act

Answer 14

Providing the right to trial by jury on discrimination claims and introducing the possibility of emotional distress damages, while limiting the amount that a jury could award. (Was a watered down version of 1990 CR act)