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Primary sourceDocument1 March 1875

Civil Rights Act of 1875

1 March 1875

A federal law signed by Grant guaranteeing equal access to public accommodations, the last major Reconstruction-era civil rights law.

Grant signed this act, marking the final major civil rights law of Reconstruction, though he did little to enforce it.

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What it is

This law, drafted by Senator Charles Sumner and passed by Congress as a memorial after his death, was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1875. It guaranteed citizens equal treatment in public accommodations like inns, transportation, and theaters, regardless of race.

Why it matters

The act marks the high point and the end of Reconstruction-era civil rights legislation. Grant signed it but, according to historians, never enforced it strongly, and the Supreme Court struck down its main provisions in 1883. It would be more than 80 years before Congress passed another major civil rights law.

  • Why might a law be passed but not enforced?
  • What does the opposition of most newspapers at the time tell you about public opinion?
  • How did the Supreme Court later limit what this law could do, and why?

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