Please use a tablet or desktop computer to use this activity.
On the first day of the 43rd Congress, Sen. Charles Sumner introduced a bill that would eventually become the Civil Right Act of 1875. From this date--December 1st, 1873--to 1883, the contents of the bill were endlessly debated. The debate over this bill, its passage into law, and its eventual nullification, represent the complexities of the Reconstruction Era. By tracing the life of this bill, we see the hopes, fears, frustrations, and turmoil of Reconstruction and the difficulty of reconciling the competing factions in the post-Civil War United States.
This activity will have your students examine not just what happened during Reconstruction, but how Reconstruction efforts unfolded. Examining this process will illuminate how our government operates, how the Legislative and Judicial branches of the federal government aided in the expansion and contraction of civil rights, and how individual citizens navigated this chaotic era.
In-Class Activity *Encourage students to use the zoom features on their computers to see the documents better, otherwise they may not be able to see the necessary details.
Warm Up
Project the Bingham House map from 1875 and picture on the board. Direct your students' attention to the warm up question and have them complete it independently.
Procedure
Have students read the newspaper clip, which describes an incident in which Fields Cook, an African American minister, was denied access to a hotel room. The accompanying questions will have them apply their knowledge of the proposed Civil RIghts Bill.
Once the students have finished answering their questions about the newspaper article, they will read the verdict from the original court document. While it is difficult to read, the verdict of guilty can be seen in the bottom-left corner.
Use Fields Cook's experience to have a discussion about the scope of the Civil RIghts Act: should Congress be able to regulate private affairs and businesses? The maps previously viewed in the activity are a great reference point. As a private business that serviced a centrally located part of a major city, the Bingham House provides a complicated scenario to the expansion of civil rights during Reconstruction.
Emphasize that accounts like Fields Cook's show the success of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, but that legislation is only effective if it is enforced.
Transition to the final document of the activity. Break up your class into pairs of students and have them read the Supreme Court decision and complete the assignment.
The essence of this document is that the Supreme Court determined that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was unconstitutional. It stated that Congress only had the power to regulate states' laws with regard to civil rights violations, not the actions of individual citizens or private businesses.
Reflection
Have students complete the "When You're Done" question (they may have to do this for homework).
This will have them reflect on the successes and failures of Reconstruction as exhibited in the documents and events about which they learned.
To the extent possible under law, Andrew Zetts has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "Enforcing Civil Rights Legislation During Reconstruction".
