Know Your Rights

The Civil Rights Act of 1866, a Reconstruction Era Law (Section 1981), prohibits discrimination based on race in the United States of America. Section 1981 gives a number of rights the Global Majority, including the right to sue or be sued in court, to give evidence in a lawsuit, to purchase property and to make and enforce contracts, including contracts of employment.

Here are five things you should know about this law:

1.This Law Defined Who Was a Citizen of The United States of America

It was the first United States federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law.