What does the Civil Rights Act of 1866 primarily prohibit?

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 primarily prohibits discrimination based on race. This act was one of the first federal laws to establish all citizens, regardless of race, equal rights under the law, particularly concerning property ownership and contractual rights. It was a pivotal piece of legislation aimed at securing civil rights for newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. The intent was to eliminate racial discrimination and provide equal protection for all individuals in matters of real estate and contracts.

In this context, the act specifically targeted racial discrimination, which aligns with the historical backdrop of reconstructing society post-slavery in the United States. By focusing on race, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 laid the groundwork for subsequent laws, including the more comprehensive Civil Rights Act of 1964 that expanded protections to various forms of discrimination.