The Primary Goals Of The South

When the government implemented the Reconstruction plan, every citizen- Northerners, Southerners, African Americans, Whites, Females, Males- had diverse views on the government’s actions. In a letter written to a newspaper editor, a former slave shared his negative opinions on the government regarding the treatment of freemen and freewomen after the ratification of the 13th amendment. Samuel Childress responded negatively by saying “It would seem that it was regarded as a greater crime to be black than to be a rebel.” He claims a former slave’s life is unjust because they works with little pay and often can only find working using the skills they already know. Most of the freemen have only learned how to farm and are forced to work for their

“Black women lived in greater oppression than White women, thus making it more difficult for black women to secure sponsorship to participate in the education of the freedpeople…the accomplishments and self-determination of Peake and Forten during this time became more significant and compelling.”

America was making extreme efforts to unite the country. The South believed that slaves were a necessity for their economy to continue to operate. Because their economy was heavily cotton-based, and cotton was an extremely laborious and monotonous activity, the south used slaves to work their fields and forced them to participate in this hard labor. The North was transforming into a mixed economy where people used their skills to cultivate a job. Many worked in factories or participated in a trade of some fashion. Because of this, slaves were not a necessity to the North. As time progressed, slaves that thought they could successfully make the journey to the North, began running away from their plantation homes. The farther North you could

Two of the most influential people in shaping the social and political agenda of African Americans were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois, both early twentieth century writers. While many of their goals were the same, the two men approached the problems facing African Americans in very different ways. This page is designed to show how these two distinct thinkers and writers shaped one movement, as well as political debate for years afterward.

Eric Foner’s epilogue discusses the effects of reconstruction during, as well as after it occured. He highlights many different main points as he weaves his way through the piece. One of these points is the issue of race that sprung up during reconstruction. The South felt that the black’s place was in the fields while the North gave them the right to vote and made them a free man. This is discussed through different accounts between some white men and some black men.

There have been many African American influential figures who have done extraordinary things to try and advance the African American race as a whole. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois are just to name two of these influential figures. Booker T. Washington has showed us that African Americans can advance from being in horrendous situations. He was once born a slave on a farm in virginia and became one of the most influential African American intellectuals of the late 19th century. He founded the Tuskegee institute, a black school in Alabama. He also formed the National Negro Business league, and even served as an Advisor to the presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. W.E.B Du Bois has shown us that African Americans

In Southern American history, the focus tends to remain on events that occurred from white, male citizens and politicians. These events, whether it is the civil war, the reconstruction period, World War I, or other well-known American historical events, white males are mainly centered around the story. Due to this narrow focus, the other genders and races that were affected or affiliated with these events are often neglected. Historian Glenda Gilmore stated “Revisioning southern politics must take into account the plethora of new sources on African American and women’s history, grapple with the theoretical insight that gender and race are socially constructed, and test new ideas about the junctures of public and private space in political culture” (Gilmore, p.xvi). In other words, the southern political history should not revolve around one group or source. Instead, this history needs to display other information or insight about the other groups, in this case African Americans, to gather a well-rounded perspective of southern political culture. Tera Hunter’s “To ‘Joy My Freedom” answers Gilmore’s call by giving a voice to African Americans, especially African American women, by displaying the social construction of race and gender, as well as the showcasing the difficulties that southern political culture put on these women.

This book was originally published in 1861. Based on the lecture 2 note of week 4 first half of nineteen century was the economic growth era. In the South, the economy was centered on agriculture and slavery, while in the North the economy was depended on industrial manufacturing and machines. Since slavery was not very popular in the North and abolitionist movements had been started in the North in 1830 (P.349), people in the North did not know the truth about slavery in the South. The writer Harriet Jacobs under the pseudonym Linda Brent explains in the preface that she did not write this book to talk about her suffering or her fight to become a free woman, her purpose of writing this book was to show a demonstration of the reality of slavery

During a time period when slavery had finally come to an end, African Americans still struggled as their opportunities for equality were next to nonexistent. In this time of hardship and unfair treatment, not many of those facing these adversities had the courage to speak out on their beliefs for change; Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois, however, did not possess such fears — both thoroughly articulated their opinions and stood for what they believed was right. Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois shared a few commonalities — both men were highly educated, for example, as well as they both expressed strong opposition against segregation. Washington’s Up from Slavery: An Autobiography and Dubois’

Two great leaders in the late 19th and 20th century of the black community were W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Even after of slavery, African Americans fought for their equal rights and opportunities. During the time of unfair treatments, few people found the courage to speak out on their beliefs for a change. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois regularly coherent their opinions and stand for what they believe is right. However, they sharply disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. Their opposing personality, philosophies, and legacy can be found in much of today 's discussions over how to end class and racial injustice.

The South was in ruin. Politically, economically and socially, the post-Civil War South had to rebuild everything from its infrastructure to an economy no longer based on slave labor (“The New South” Lecture). Reconstruction found the southern United States in crisis and the rest of the country on the verge of exponential growth. Fortune seekers and families alike began moving West, followed by African Americans leaving the South in record numbers in the 1880s, heading toward the industrial cities of the northeast (“Industrialism” Lecture). A large influx of immigrant workers coupled with new management techniques and technologies, including assembly line production, created an America in transition, especially for women. Black, white, native-born or immigrant, American women found themselves moving West, helping rebuild their communities, or working in factories (Compilation of information from multiple lectures). These women in transition began entering into the normally male-dominated public sphere—an unprecedented move creating a “new product” of women, according to Dorothy Richardson in her autobiography The Long Day, which discusses the transitory nature of the life of working women and how they struggled to survive (Richardson 279/”Reforming America” Lecture). From 1865 to 1917, the social and economic instability of the United States impacted women, causing them to employ coping mechanisms to counteract the uncertain times.

Mary Ellen Curtin argues that black women prisoners enacted “self-assertion, resistance, and survival” (11) during and after their experience in the convict leasing program. She argues that these enactments played a special role in this history that is often overlooked and that in this post-Emancipation era, they differed significantly from the resistance enacted by enslaved people (14). Curtin cites an 1875 letter to the editor of the Eutaw Whig and Observer, which revealed the trade of goods among freedpeople which excluded whites. Furthermore, based on the goods traded, Curtin points out, many of these traders were likely women, who were then often convicted of larceny for their participation in this illegalized market.

Reconstruction defined oppression for Southern African Americans. Abolishing slavery resulted in backlash and more intolerance to minorities. The South’s image tarnished by the institution of slavery did not alter the social confides of its representatives. African Americans gained freedom, however, their livelihood did not change. Generations of African Americans, in the South, endured discrimination as the white population obscured their progress. However, the popular narrative set by the elitist whites would not endure without conflict. The life of Willie Reed shows a different kind of truth within the Jim Crow South, the determination of a man’s soul, and his righteousness towards humanity.

" If the Reconstruction of the Southern states...had been conceived as a major national program of America, whose accomplishments at any price was well worth the effort, we should be living today in a different world... The attempts to make black men American citizens was in a certain sense all a failure, but a splendid failure." _ W.E.B Du Bios

During the 1800s many HBCUs were established during a time when practically all colleges and universities were entirely for men and for women, access to higher education was minimal. However, due to their unique missions, HBCUs were open and available to Black women. In addition, during the 1800s the existence of Black women at the intersection of race and gender was described. Famous speeches such as, “Aint I a Woman” delivered by Sojourner Truth in 1852 and seminal reports such as “ 1976 Double Bind Report” both characterized how Black Women weren’t offered as many opportunities and privileges as anyone else. These reports provided critical information in many cases, layouts for increasing representation of Black women especially in the STEM disciplines.