Answer: The Civil Right Act of 1866
Explanation:
This was the first law meant to protect African American´s rights during the Reconstruction Period that followed the Civil War. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 explicitly prohibited the refusal of the rights of citizenship based on race or color of the skin. Despite having been vetoed by President Andrew Johnson, Congress overrode the veto and it became a law on April 9, 1866.
