- Event type: CREATE
United States Fourteenth Amendment & The Civil Rights Act of 1866
An amendment to the Constitution of the United States that granted citizenship and equal rights, both civil and legal, to Black Americans, including those who had been emancipated by the thirteenth amendment.
Joint Committee of Fifteen on Reconstruction
A special joint committee made up of nine members from the House of Representatives six members of the Senate. This committee was formed to inquire into the condition of the states in rebellion.
To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.
Session 5629: 1866-04-21 11:00:00
The Joint Committee meets; Mr. Stevens introduces a plan of reconstruction; the plan is divided and the proposition of constitutional amendment is considered by sections.
Document View:
Plan of Reconstruction
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution, and to provide for the restoration to the states lately in insurrection of their full political rights.
Whereas, It is expedient that the States lately in insurrection should, at the earliest day consistent with the future peace and safety of the Union, be restored to full participation in all political rights; therefore,
Be it resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of both Houses concurring), that the following Article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several states as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified, by three-fourths of said legislatures, shall be valid as part of the Constitution, namely:
Article—
Section 1. No discrimination shall be made by any state, nor by the United States, as to the civil rights of persons because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Sec. 2. From and after the fourth day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, no discrimination shall be made by any state, nor by the United States, as to the enjoyment by classes of persons of the right of suffrage, because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Sec. 3. Until the fourth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, no class of persons, as to the right of any of whom to suffrage discrimination shall be made by any state, because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, shall be included in the basis of representation.
Sec. 4. Debts incurred in aid of insurrection or of war against the Union, and claims of compensation for loss of involuntary service or labor, shall not be paid by any state nor by the United States.
Sec. 5. Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
And be it further resolved, That whenever the above recited amendment shall have become part of the Constitution, and any state lately in insurrection shall have ratified the same, and shall have modified its constitution and laws in conformity with the first section thereof, the Senators and Representatives from such state, if found duly elected and qualified shall, after having taken the usual oath of office, be admitted as such:
Provided, That no person who, having been an officer in the army or navy of the United States, or having been a member of the Thirty-sixth Congress, or of the Cabinet in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty, took part in the late insurrection, shall be eligible to either branch of the national legislature until after the fourth day of July, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Decisions yet to be taken
- Plan of Reconstruction (introduced on 1866-04-21 11:00:00 - CREATE - e896612) [This document]
Document Timeline
- Plan of Reconstruction (introduced on 1866-04-21 11:00:00 - CREATE - e896612) [This document]
[view current proposal at this moment]
- None (introduced on 1866-04-21 11:00:00 - DEBATE_PROPOSAL - e896619) [view current proposal at this moment]