Granting The Rights Of African Americans : Reconstruction Period

92. In 1865 an appointment was held between representatives of an African American community in Savannah, Georgia and Edwin Staunton, Secretary of War, and Major General Sherman concerning topics of the freedman in Georgia. Land was set aside, 40 acres, and a mule that could no longer be used by the Army to establish a community of their own.

America was at a very conflicted time during reconstruction after the civil war. While there was many ways radical republicans enforced their beliefs and helped the former slaves, the former confederates fought back with two times as much force. The country was completely split because of these two polarizing groups. Lives of the former slaves were heavily debated and extremely toyed with. These times have molded modern day society in the United States.

Freedom can be defined as voting who you want as your leader, doing whatever you please without anyone stopping you, or getting free citizenship for a country. Reconstruction was the rebuilding of the United States and the north allowing the south to reenter US. It occurred because of the civil war. One of the goals of reconstruction was to provide a future of freedom for the blacks. Were Black Americans truly free during Reconstruction?

In the 20th century, the United States had two great events that brought changes to American society in social, political and economic were the Civil War and Reconstruction. After the end of the Civil War, the slavery was abolished as part of the 13th amendment during the Reconstruction era throughout the United States, however the Southern States continue the hatred against the African American as a result of amounts of factors such as Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, white supremacist violence, and the enforcement of involuntary labor affected in the utmost indignation of the whole history of the United States.

The end of the civil war should’ve marked a major turning point for the position of African Americans. The north’s victory marked the end of slavery and in addition, the fourteenth and fifteenth amendment guaranteed African Americans full civil and political equality. However, the end of the civil war and the beginning of the reconstruction era was seen a ‘false dawn for the slaves in the former confederacy and border states.

The Reconstructive period was considered the period after the Civil War, which was 1865-1877. Abraham Lincoln had started to prepare for the reconstruction of the South during the Civil War while Union soldiers were occupying huge areas of the South. Abraham Lincoln wanted to bring the Nation back together as quickly as he possibly could and by December of 1863 he offered his plan for Reconstruction which required that the state’s new constitutions prohibited slavery.

This particular section was very interesting to me, even after slavery, African Americans continued to be treated unjustly. Many people do not understand the hope that our people held on to while being treated less than an animal. I agree with Elizabeth Keckley words, if the people would come together in the bonds of peace – how much better the world would be (Gates & Smith, 2014). African American men put their lives on the line to fight in the civil war. I can’t even imagine seeing death every single day and to be treated unequally to the next man.

After the Reconstruction act of 1867, this gave African Americans the ability to serve in the government in positions such as congressmen to state and local officials (Reconstruction Government in the South, para. 1 & 8). With extensive research, it can be assumed that the geographical location where African Americans served in government and had enough power in those states are in Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. At this time, representatives were of a vast majority in government positions in these states, including and more noted, Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi (Reconstruction Government in the South, para. 11-13). Regarding the party, African Americans made up a majority of southern Republican voters,

During the period of reconstruction after the Civil War, The Reconstruction era occurred after the Civil War period, and lasted from 1864 to 1877. The Reconstruction period brought upon an era of Martial Law, a change of social consciousness towards slavery and the rights of African Americans, a New South with closer ties to the North. During the years of Reconstruction, African

Even though the voting rights issue did not end with the Reconstruction era, it inspired many African Americans to rise and to establish a new leadership platform. The enlightenment period of the radical reconstruction brought a “more active role in the political, economic, and social life of the south” with the Republican domination in the 1866 elections; it introduced a new era for African Americans (“Black Leaders”). With the ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments and the spread of political activism towards African Americans through festive parades, protests, and community meetings, African Americans challenged themselves with the task of serving in a political office because African Americans never had a voice to speak for them

Margaret Walker once said, “Handicapped as we have been by a racist system of dehumanizing slavery and segregation, our American history of nearly five hundred years reveals that our cultural and spiritual gifts brought from our African past are still intact” (Walker, 1997). African Americans have been oppressed by the institution of slavery and segregation for many years. They have been submitted to cruel and inhumane treatments, yet they are still vibrant. They have remained vibrant with the help of several leaders, faith, and the willingness to change condition in which they were living. To say that African Americans have been treated poorly would be an understatement. African Americans have endured laws and treatments that have tested the

“True compassion does not sit on the laps of renovation; it dives with an approach to reconstruction. Don't throw a coin at a begger. Rather, destroy his source of poverty.” ― Israelmore Ayivor (Chandler, 2007). This quote not only explains what the purpose of the reconstruction was, but also the means on how to succeed. Africans after The Reconstruction not only didn’t have rights, but living became worse than what it was. There became a competition between rich vs. poor, native-born vs. immigrants and workers vs. capitalist. Blacks never had an equal chance to live and work to provide for their families, and this caused social tension all around. The whites never wanted anyone to be superior to them, and they began to take harsh actions against blacks because they saw the potential

Freedom is defined as the power or right to speak, act or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Reconstruction is defined as the time period after the Civil War when the Confederacy was brought back into the United States. However, after the Civil War, African Americans were not free. Even though by law African Americans couldn’t be slaves the development of racism and segregation created a new fight for freedom and equality. Therefore, African American were not free during Reconstruction.

The term civil rights is very broad when it is to be defined. It has many different aspects as in to what it can mean, from integration all the way to voting rights of African Americans. My main point is to focus on the Selma Marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, but also to dig deeper into it to find the significance of a certain day, the day was called “Bloody Sunday.” I want to find out the historical situation behind the marchers who were beat and killed on that day and also look at John Lewis, and the key part that he played into the events that happened on that day and to also look at the reasoning behind the whole march. Racism is defined in many different variations and means different things to certain people;

Reconstruction is the time period after the Civil War consisting of the rebuilding of the United States government to become accustomed to the races of all men. During Reconstruction, which lasted from1865 to 1877, African Americans gained many rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, they still had to bear the continual aggression of the white man. The right to vote was one political freedom that African Americans gained after the Civil War. However, even though all black males were allowed to vote, very few actually exercised this newly gained right. African Americans also became active in governmental roles during Reconstruction. For example, Hiram Revels was elected to the United States Senate in 1870, and while he was in office, he pursued to help African Americans truly gain freedom. African Americans gained much more than just political freedoms. For example, after the Civil War, as freed men, African Americans could own their own land and travel wherever they desired. They could rejoin family they had been separated from as slaves. Also, they gained the right to practice religion as they desired. Sadly, soon after Reconstruction, several events occurred which hindered African American’s newly gained rights and freedoms.