How did slave codes separate white and blacks?

Slave codes were a set of laws enacted in the American colonies and later in the Southern states that established the status of enslaved people and dictated the rights of free and enslaved individuals. These codes enforced racial hierarchy by prohibiting enslaved people from owning property, marrying freely, or learning to read and write, thereby denying them basic human rights. The laws also mandated severe punishments for those who attempted to escape or resist their bondage, further entrenching the separation between white and Black populations. Ultimately, slave codes institutionalized racial discrimination and reinforced the social, economic, and political divide between whites and Blacks.