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42 U.S.C. § 1981

Equal rights under the law

United States · Title 42 — THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE · Status: effective

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42 U.S.C. § 1981, Equal rights under the law, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/478201
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All persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall have the same right in every State and Territory to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to the full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of persons and property as is enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be subject to like punishment, pains, penalties, taxes, licenses, and exactions of every kind, and to no other. For purposes of this section, the term “make and enforce contracts” includes the making, performance, modification, and termination of contracts, and the enjoyment of all benefits, privileges, terms, and conditions of the contractual relationship. The rights protected by this section are protected against impairment by nongovernmental discrimination and impairment under color of State law.

Legislative history

The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.