Existing comment:
Slavery by Another Name
To control former slaves, Virginia in 1866 passed an act "for the Punishment of Vagrants" –– it targeted the unemployed. It resembled prewar black codes that restricted liberty. The law empowered officials to arrest or hire out to work anyone who had no means of support or refused to work at (low) wages. No appeal was allowed. In this way a labor shortage on the plantations was answered. The 14th Amendment was soon passed to protect the rights of African Americans. |