There were blacks in the Continental Army during the revolution. Rhode Island had a black regiment. Of course, this reinforces the "separate but equal" concept. I think the laws requiring blacks to stay away came along later. Illinois had such a law in Lincoln's day. His stated original purpose was to preserve the union. As others have said, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation to make it difficult, if not impossible, for England to support the South. Even the North kept the black troops segregated, with white officers. Only the Navy had integrated ships' crews. Of course, the Navy later became very segregated, to the point blacks could only be stewards. Remember how long it took for Dorrie Miller to be recognized for his heroism at Pearl Harbor. Stan