15. Convict Leasing Laws
Convict leasing laws criminalized minor infractions and led to the mass incarceration of African Americans. Once imprisoned, convicts were leased out to private companies for labor in harsh conditions—on plantations, railroads, and in mines. This abusive system continued the exploitation and forced labor of Black people well beyond emancipation, earning the name “slavery by another name. Explore more at Equal Justice Initiative: Convict Leasing
