The Civil Rights Act of 1866 became law on April 9, 1866, by a two-thirds majority overriding President Andrew Johnsonâs veto. The first aim of the Act was to provide federal protection to emancipated African Americans, giving practical effect to the Thirteenth Amendment.
Albany is located about 150 miles (240 km) north of New York City on the Hudson River. It has a total area of 21.8 square miles (56 km2), of which 21.4 square miles (55 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (1.8%) is water.
Albany County was one of the original twelve counties created by the Province of New York on November 1, 1683. At that time it included all of New York state north of Dutchess and Ulster counties, all of what is now Bennington County in Vermont, and theoretically stretched west to the Pacific Ocean.