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.

The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives of the Thirty-Ninth Session of Congress

The Committee Secretary's View The Committee Secretary's View

To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.

Document introduced in:

Session 5614: 1866-06-09 12:00:00

Mr. Boutwell gives notice that the House is to take up H. Res. 127 on the next Wednesday

Document View:

H. Res. 127

Shown with amendment 'H. Res. 127: Mr. Clark's Substitute for Sections 4 and 5' (e376768)

There are 0 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.
Jump to change 1 Jump to change 2 Jump to change 3 Jump to change 4 Jump to change 5 Jump to change 6 Jump to change 7 Jump to change 8 Jump to change 9 Jump to change 10 Jump to change 11 Jump to change 12 Jump to change 13 Jump to change 14 Jump to change 15 Jump to change 16 Jump to change 17 Jump to change 18 Jump to change 19 Jump to change 20 Jump to change 21 Jump to change 22 Jump to change 23 Jump to change 24 Jump to change 25 Jump to change 26

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

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 —.

SEC. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

SEC. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

SEC. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two thirds of each House, remove such disability.

SEC. 4. The validity of the public debtgations of the United States, authoriz incurred by law, includ suppressing debts incsurred for paymentction, or in defense of pensions andthe Union, or for payment of bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellionpensions incident thereto, shall not be questioned. But nremain inviolate.

SEC. 5. Neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection [or] rebellion against the United States, or any claim foron account of the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be forever held illegal and void.

SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article.

Decisions yet to be taken

None

Document Timeline