An Act to Prevent Discrimination against Any Person on Account of his Race, Creed or Color
(Trenton?, 1883).
In 1883, New Jersey became one of the first states to attempt to pass equal rights legislation for public and private accommodations, providing equal access to restaurants, hotels, theaters, and transportation regardless of race, color, or creed. The bill was championed by William Hill, a German-American immigrant who became a brewer in Essex County before being elected to office. Lacking support in the legislature, however, the bill failed. The copy of the proposed legislation here is line-numbered for the legislators' review.
