Which amendment guaranteed citizenship and civil rights to African Americans in 1868?

• A. 14th Amendment
• B. Civil Rights Act of 1866
• C. Civil Rights Act of 1964
• D. Fair Housing Act of 1968

Answer: (A)

During Reconstruction, the Constitution was amended to secure the status and rights of formerly enslaved people. The amendment ratified in 1868 defines who is a citizen and protects basic rights under the law. It says anyone born or naturalized in the United States is a citizen, and it bars states from denying anyone due process or equal protection under the law. This combination directly guarantees citizenship and civil rights for African Americans after emancipation. While earlier laws, like the Civil Rights Act of 1866, addressed similar goals, they were statutes rather than constitutional guarantees. Later civil rights laws, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, address related issues but come after 1868. So the amendment ratified in 1868 is the one that establishes these protections.