History Minute (095): The Civil Rights Act of 1875 enacted

 In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the Civil Rights Act. It had two critical sections:

• Section 1: “…all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement; subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law, and applicable alike to citizens of every race and color, regardless of any previous condition of servitude.”

This meant that private business owners of public accommodations such as theaters, trains, hotels, and restaurants, could not legally refuse service to customers merely because they were Black. All commercial and social life access had to be offered without regard to skin color.

• Section 2: “…any person who shall violate the foregoing section…shall for every such offense forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars to the person aggrieved thereby, to be recovered in an action of debt, with full costs; and shall also, for every such offense, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than one year…”

This meant that if a business owner discriminated against you, they could be found guilty of a misdemeanor, imprisoned for at least 30 days, pay a fine of at least $500 (a huge amount in 1875) — and pay you directly another $500 for each instance of discrimination.

This Civil Rights Act also prohibited racial discrimination in the selection of jury members, or the fact that they had dark skin or were previously enslaved. This was important because in the South, all-white juries habitually acquitted White defendants accused of crimes against Black citizens. A more impartial justice system was the intended outcome. 

Read more: https://uslawexplained.com/civil_rights_act_of_1875