Question

Immediately after the Civil War, to pass through the parish of St. Landry, a Black person needed special permission from his employer in the form of a pass. What was the requirement for a Black person to pass through the parish of St. Landry immediately after the Civil War?

Answer 1

After the Civil War, Blacks needed a pass from their employer to travel through St. Landry Parish. This requirement was part of the oppressive Black codes, designed to maintain control over the movement and labor of African Americans.

Step-by-step explanation:

Black Codes and Movement Restrictions

Immediately after the Civil War, Black individuals required special permission to pass through the parish of St. Landry, similar to the passbook system found in Apartheid South Africa. Employer permission in the form of a pass was necessary for a Black person to move through the area. These requirements were part of a wider set of restrictive laws known as the Black codes, which aimed to control freed African Americans and maintain white supremacy in the post-war South, despite the end of formal slavery. Black codes were essentially a means of economic and social control that forced freed slaves back into a subordinate, exploitative relationship with white landowners.

Black Codes not only limited the freedom of movement but also restricted Blacks from owning property, denied them legal rights, and attempted to ensure that they remained a cheap labor force. This control over Black labor was one of the primary motivations behind many of the post-war laws in southern states.