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An Act to protect all Persons in the United States in their Civil Rights, and

furnish the Means of their Vindication.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States

of America in Congress assembled, That all persons born in the United States

and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby

declared to be citizens of the United States; and such citizens, of every race and

color, without regard to any previous condition of slavery or involuntary

servitude…shall have the same right, in every State and Territory in the United

States, to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, and give evidence, to

inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property, and

to full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person

and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be subject to like

punishment, pains, and penalties, and to none other, any law, statute,

ordinance, regulation, or custom, to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That any person who…shall subject, or

cause to be subjected, any inhabitant of any State or Territory to the deprivation

of any right secured…by this act, or to different punishment, pains, or penalties

on account of such person having at any time been held in a condition of slavery

or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party

shall have been duly convicted, or by reason of his color or race, than is

prescribed for the punishment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty of a

misdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be punished by fine not exceeding one

thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both, in the

discretion of the court.…

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That any person who shall knowingly and

wilfully obstruct, hinder, or prevent any officer…from arresting any person…or

shall aid, abet, or assist any person so arrested…to escape from the custody of

the officer…or shall harbor or conceal any person for whose arrest a warrant or

process shall have been issued…shall…be subject to a fine not exceeding one

thousand dollars, and imprisonment not exceeding six months, by indictment

and conviction before the district court of the United States.…

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That whenever the President of the United

States shall have reason to believe that offences have been or are likely to be

committed against the provisions of this act within any judicial district, it shall

be lawful for him…to direct the judge, marshal, and district attorney of such

district to attend at such place…for the purpose of the more speedy arrest and

trial of persons charged with a violation of this act.…

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of

the United States, or such person as he may empower for that purpose, to

employ such part of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of the

militia, as shall be necessary to prevent the violation and enforce the due

execution of this act.

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That upon all questions of law arising in

any cause under the provisions of this act a final appeal may be taken to the

Supreme Court of the United States.

Source: Reconstruction, the Negro, and the New South, edited by LaWanda

Cox and John H. Cox (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), pp. 69–73.