African Americans Were Not Free Essay

In 1860-1877, Slaves were considered to to free, but they really weren’t. An example would be from the Black Codes in Opelousas, Louisiana stated, “No negro shall be permitted to rent or keep a house within the limits of the town under any circumstances.” This literally says that freed slaves were not free. If they were free, whites would let them rent, buy and keep a house, but in this instance the whites are not letting them do that. Imagine how the other codes sound. Henry Adams is a former slave who made a statement to the government and stated, “You had better carry a pass. I said, I will see whether I am free by going without a pass. I met four white men about six miles south of town. One of them asked me who I belonged to. I told him
That’s just wrong. Also, if slaves were truly free, whites would beat a black person just because they don’t have a pass. While some say that slaves weren’t free, some say that they were free. An example would be one of the Reconstruction Amendments such as the 15th Amendment. “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This Amendment is saying that all citizens, including the slaves which is mentioned in the 14th Amendment, can vote and that no state or the United States can deny them that. Sure they look free, but after those Amendments were passed, slaves weren’t free. Another and final example from Henry Adams that he saw stated, “During the same week the madam took a stick and beat one of the young colored girls, who was about fifteen years of age. The boss came the next day and whipped the same girl nearly to death.” Why would someone beat a fifteen year old girl for no reason and the following day the boss hits her again. That’s not what you call