Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first United States federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law. It was mainly intended, in the wake of the American Civil War, to protect the civil rights of... Wikipedia
Originally published: April 9, 1866
Enacted by: the 39th United States Congress
Public law: 14 Stat. 27–30