Black Code Research Paper

Following the Civil War were black codes. In the source which was published in 1906 by Walter Fleming he points out the truth and facts behind black codes. He practically points out how after slavery was abolished at the end of the civil war president Johnson appointed whites in the southern states to create these black codes. They were trying to make it seem as though they were trying to help the freedmen when in fact they were only trying to make sure white supremacy would stay in place. For example he states, “The black codes indicated how the white south would regulate black freedom if given a free hand by the federal government. But, they so completely violated free labor principles that they discredited Johnsons Reconstruction policy …show more content…
The labor contracts were ultimately favoring people of white race and all privileges were for them, Whites were considered more reliable and were the owners of most if not all of the companies and ran the government. So, they were considered the ones doing the best quality work. Signing a contract as a white person would be pointless and whites want to be superior so having other whites under contracts just wasn’t in their plan. I believe the Vagrancy Laws placed pressure on ex slaves to sign labor contracts. Contracts would force blacks to stay working despite the conditions, salary, policies or any other factors. They would not be capable of escaping from the companies. This shows how black people were still living under slavery even though it was not permitted anymore. Fleming points out how in Section 6 of Civil Rights of Freedmen it states, “All contracts for labor with freedmen, free negros, and mulattoes for a longer period than one month shall be in writing, and in duplicate attested and read to said freedmen, free negro, or mulatto by a beat, city or county officer, or two disinterested white persons of the county in which the labor is performed” (Fleming,