The Black Codes In The 1830's
Although some African Americans were granted freedom there was still a multitude of influences resisting their freedom. A key factor of these was known as the black codes, which were strengthened by state legislatures in the 1830's. The black codes are defined by the book as "laws passed by states and municipalities denying many rights of citizenship to free black people" (Faragher, 241). The black codes were extremely represive and made it so African Americans couldn't carry firearms, purchase slaves, testify against whites, hold office, or serve in the militia. It is important to recoginize that "except for the right to own property, free people had no civil rights" (Faragher 241-242). However, poor whites were the "landless" people of the