African Americans After Reconstruction

The reconstruction era was a highly anticipated period for former African American slaves. After the north won the Civil War, questions remained as to how to unify the country, and what rights should be ascribed to former slaves. Yet, former slaves further questioned how this period would influence their newly acquired freedoms. Despite the anticipations of newly freed African American slaves, the reconstruction era failed to create conditions that would allow African Americans to achieve equal rights. The failures of the reconstruction era, and the decision to allow former African American slaves to remain in the south will be explored in order to determine how these decisions influenced the lives of African Americans. Prior to the onset of the Civil War, the United States was a divided nation. McPherson (1983) further concurs in acknowledging that many scholars during the antebellum period believed “that North and South had evolved separate societies with institutions, interests, values, and ideologies so incompatible, so much deadly conflict that they could no longer live together in the same nation” (22). Although the North won the Civil War, there was a continuous sense of tension in determining how to unify the country. Even though Southerners were forced to free their slaves, many believed this practice was unnecessary. The attitudes and perceptions Southerners upheld surrounding newly freed African American slaves were further exemplified in the way former slaves were treated. Hale (1998) provides a similar assessment in acknowledging that lynching became increasingly popular in Southern states. Yet, Southerners did not consider lynching as a loss of life. Instead, they perceived it as a form of amusement. However, with few rights ascribed to African Americans living in the South, there was little this population could do to secure their freedoms and escape the conditions present in the South (The Atlantic 2014). The adverse conditions present in the South during and after the reconstruction era are widely believed to be caused by the failures of the federal government during reconstruction. …show more content…
For example, The Atlantic (2014) acknowledges that there were no policies addressing how newly freed African American slaves would survive in society. Specifically, reparations were widely frowned upon on a national level. Yet from a different perspective, The Atlantic acknowledges that the “Redemption” movement played a role in influencing the rights given to African Americans after the Civil War. This movement, was dedicated to “upholding a society ‘formed for the white, not the black man.’” This movement is widely credited for the continuation of discriminatory practices targeting African Americas. However, it could further be argued that the policies passed during reconstruction were a reflection of the needs and desires of the Redemption party. These needs and desires directly impacted nearly every aspect of the lives African Americans led. As a result, African Americans continued to experience discrimination for nearly one hundred years after the reconstruction era ended. The decision to leave newly freed slaves in Southern states is another issue that has been heavily explored. McPherson (1983) argues “that Northerners were as committed to white supremacy as Southerners” (26). Yet, the fact that 95% of African Americans in the country lived in the south suggests that Northerners may have had little contact with African Americans. As a result, the practices of