"Black Laws" (1804)

The Congress of the Buckeye state became the first legislative body in the country to enact Black Laws,intended to restrict the rights of free blacks.Two groups supported the measure:White settlers from Kentucky and Virginia,and a growing group of businessman who had ties to to southern slavery.All of them despised African Americans.The legislation forced African Americans and mulattoes to furnish certificates of freedom from a court in the U.S. before they could settle in Ohio.All African American residents had to register with the name of their children by June 1,1805.The registration fee was 12 and a half cents per name.It became a punishable offense to employ an African American who could not present a certificate of freedom.Anyone harboring or helping fugitive slaves were fined $1,000,with the informer receiving half of the fine.On January 25,1807,these laws were toughened and other states followed Ohio's lead.The Black Laws remained in effect until 1849.