---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1994"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1994"
heading: "Peonage abolished"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1994"
units:
  - "Chapter 21 — Civil Rights"
  - "Subchapter I — Generally"
---

# §1994. Peonage abolished


The holding of any person to service or labor under the system known as peonage is abolished and forever prohibited in any Territory or [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) of the United States; and all acts, laws, resolutions, orders, regulations, or usages of any Territory or [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), which have heretofore established, maintained, or enforced, or by virtue of which any attempt shall hereafter be made to establish, maintain, or enforce, directly or indirectly, the voluntary or involuntary service or labor of any persons as peons, in liquidation of any debt or obligation, or otherwise, are declared null and void.


## Source credit

(R.S. § 1990.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

R.S. § 1990 derived from act Mar. 2, 1867, ch. 187, § 1, 14 Stat. 546.

Section was formerly classified to section 56 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.