Federal Civil Rights Act is adopted in Washington, D.C.

(April) Congress overrides the veto of President Andrew Johnson to pass the first national civil rights law. It declares, “All persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States,” and that they have the right of equal protection under the law. It is the first Congressional override of a presidential veto in U.S. history.