The Beginning of the Race-Based Caste System to Undermine Progress Towards Black Emancipation

The 17th-century Code Noir in Saint-Domingue set minimum standards for the treatment of slaves, but these rules were undermined over time. Free people of color faced discrimination through various laws, such as paying liberty taxes and restrictions on professions, naming conventions, and personal appearance. These laws created a hereditary caste system based on race and ethnicity, which is still evident today. This system persisted legally in the United States until less than a generation ago.