No, Virginia Southern states weren’t the only racists.
Yesterday marked a sad day in history. On November 22, 1865, Mississippi passed what was called Black code laws. All the other southern states followed. Laws against former slaves and free blacks.
Remember that the South was controlled by progressive Democrats. But Northern states were not going to let the South be one up on them. How about the hell hole we call California?
California’s constitution banned slavery, yet the state legislature passed laws that limited the rights of free Black people.
Testimony ban (1850): California prohibited Black, Native American, and Chinese residents from testifying in court against whites. This meant crimes committed by whites against them often went unpunished.
Exclusionary settlement laws: Free Black people faced restrictions on migration and settlement. Some lawmakers pushed for outright exclusion acts to prevent Black migration into California.
Voting rights: African Americans were denied the right to vote, serve on juries, or attend public schools in many areas.
Indenture laws: California passed laws allowing Native American children to be “apprenticed” to white families, which often amounted to forced labor.
