What were black codes and how did the black codes of the postwar south restrict black rights?

Black codes were laws enacted in the Southern United States after the Civil War to restrict the rights and freedoms of newly freed African Americans. These codes aimed to maintain white supremacy and control over the black population by imposing severe limitations on their ability to work, travel, and participate in civic life. For example, they often required black individuals to sign labor contracts, restricted their movement, and imposed harsh penalties for vagrancy. Ultimately, black codes sought to perpetuate a system of economic and social subordination similar to slavery.