The Black Codes were legal codes set into place, primarily by the Southern states, in the interest of opposing the reality of free colored slaves. Essentially, the Black Codes were passed as a means of dealing with the situation regarding the emancipation of slaves. The Black Codes dealt with vagrancy, apprenticeship, labor contracts, and civil & legal rights. In regards to the laws of vagrancy, each state expressed their definition of the word “vagrant.” These definitions, as well as other laws, sometimes specifically applied to colored people, or as most of the time, they were stated in general terms that were intended to fit the “Negro’s condition” and to be enforced with regard to colored people. This is exemplified by the fact that emancipated slaves were required to be under labor contracts to work as “servants,” because “vagrancy” was considered as a misdemeanor. The Black Codes were designed to limit the options of the emancipated slaves, and thereby forcing the “Negro” in “slave” circumstances, without it technically being considered as the term “slavery.” The codes went around the emancipation decree, by using the term “servant,” in order to avoid the word “slave,” for the sake of getting away with slavery. The Black Codes maintained the situation of slavery, but manipulated it, in order to coin it as a different concept. …show more content…
The Black Codes made “Negro slaves in everything but name” because they configured the emancipated slaves back into the position of slavery, by using different terminology, thus allowing for the “legal” and forced continuation of