How did members of congress react to the black codes?

Answer 1

Members of Congress reacted strongly against the black codes, viewing them as discriminatory laws that sought to undermine the rights of newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. Many Republicans, particularly those in the Radical faction, saw the codes as a direct challenge to the principles of equality and civil rights, leading to calls for federal intervention. This ultimately contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment, aimed at securing citizenship and equal protection under the law for African Americans. Overall, the black codes intensified the struggle between Congress and Southern states over the reconstruction policies.