What legislation aimed to provide civil rights to African Americans during Reconstruction?

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to secure rights for African Americans during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. This act was specifically designed to counteract the Black Codes, which were laws implemented in southern states that severely restricted the rights of newly freed African Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States, including formerly enslaved individuals, and ensured that they had the same legal rights as white citizens.

This legislation was significant because it marked the first time in American law that all people, regardless of race, were recognized as citizens entitled to equal protection under the law. The act's provisions also laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements and were pivotal in promoting equality in the United States.

In contrast, the Homestead Act primarily focused on land allocation to encourage westward expansion, while the Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land. The Know-Nothing Act, associated with nativist sentiments, was concerned with limiting immigration rather than addressing civil rights for African Americans. Thus, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 stands out as the legislation directly aimed at providing civil rights to African Americans during the Reconstruction period.