-
Dred Scott v. Sanford
There was a lot of controversy over state and national citizenship. Dred Scott who had been a slave, sued his former master's estate under the state-citizenship diversity jurisdiction of the federal courts. Justice Taney concluded that Scott was not a citizen of any state for purposes of the diversity jurisdiction, because the constitution limited both state and national citizenship on racial grounds, excluding everyone of African American decent. -
Lincoln as President
When Lincoln got into office in 1860, his administration made a legal decision that all free people of color were indeed American citizens. -
Civil Rights Act
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1866, which declared that everyone born or naturalized in the United States were citizens of the United States and a citizen to the states in which they lived. Affirming a rule of citizenship by birth did not depend on race. This also provided that all citizens of every states should have the same basic civil rights. -
Segregation
Although every citizen of the US now all have the same basic civil rights and are now all citizens, people of color still dealt with segregation up until about 1970. -
Civil Rights Act
There were many revisions of the original Civil Rights Act such as this one of 1964. This Civil Rights Act was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson and it prevented employment discrimination against race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Title 7 of the Act establishes the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to help help prevent workplace discrimination. -
Voting Rights Act
President Johnson also signs the voting rights act of 1965, to allow everyone to vote. This also prevented the use of literacy tests as a voting requirement. -
Fair Housing Act
Johnson also signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which is also known as the Fair Housing Act. This provides an equal housing opportunity to everyone regardless of race, religion, or national origin. -
Today
Because of all these things in history it slowly made the US a free country to all religions, races, etc. Now the US is one of the most diverse countries in the world.