How did African Americans respond to the end of slavery and the realities of freedom?

1. How did African Americans respond to the end of slavery and the realities of freedom? How did southern whites respond to the loss of their slaves and the slave-based economy?  At the end of your post please comment in one paragraph on what you have learned that was new, surprising, and interesting. 

2. Pick one law listed on the website “History of Racist Laws in America” and summarize the law for your peers. Do not limit yourself to only laws against African Americans…any law that goes against an American’s right for equality has a dramatic effect on the society as a whole.