The Southern Reconstruction
The reconstruction era was introduced to Americans after the end of civil war in 1865, April by then the state’s President Lincoln. The citizen gathered to hear what they expected to be a union celebration, but instead, the president announced the start of a new task of reconciling the groups of state (that is, whites and blacks the slaves). Some viewed the reconstruction as an opportunity to rebuild the nation out of the existing slavery and war. Others, especially the whites, perceived the era as a moment of humiliation and loss of a world they were used to and believed was the right way to live. Lincoln aimed at ending slavery in both North and south of America and freeing them to benefit from the political and social rights as other citizens. However, the reconstruction era received mixed reactions from the whites and black southerners.
Blacks perceived reconstruction as a chance to regain and fighting for the meaning of that freedom. The era made them free men who no longer had to be bought and owned, which introduced a new problem of independence. Significant figures like Tunis Campbell helped the blacks to survive the freedom by assisting in building a black colony in Georgia, which whites were warned to stay away from (Beth and James 1979). Also, since many blacks were illiterate and impoverished, reconstruction led to the construction of black’s public schools, churches For African Americans, reconstruction meant freedom for voting, citizenship, reuniting with their families, and living freely. On the other side, reconstruction for whites was a humility moment, and they saw the era as a black vengeful imposition. They were not ready to accept the terms of reconstruction.
Opposition forces started to gather even before Lincoln completed his emancipation proclamation speech. Many white southerners began violence oppositions against the new world that was being created around. The emancipation meant that whites had lost their labor force and had to share the same environment and rights with their former slaves. The whites who had lost the slaves expressed frustrations as blacks withdrew their devotion and loyalty. Violence was provoked by the desire to maintain the initial racial order, and the southern world was under chaos, trying to co-exist the two races with equality. Southern whites were not ready to welcome the blacks as citizens; instead, they wanted to maintain them as slaves and in their plantations. For instance, Frances Butler, who was a daughter to the rice plantation owner, tried to negotiate labor contracts with the freedmen to rebuild her family farms, which had collapsed following the freeing of the slaves. Also, Catherine Ann notes in her diary the frustrations which she and her family went through due to their slaves quitting the plantations. The frustrations intensified after the ex-slaves demanded to be paid for their labor. Therefore, the reconstruction era created tension and led to immense destruction through violence.
The freedmen continued to fight for the meaning of citizenship. Blacks demanded recognition of their rights as legal American citizens, and they organized meeting demanding equality before the law and at least acceptance of the black males in political positions. Blacks wished to take control of the situations under which they had been enslaved and achieving economic independence. Eric Foner, a historian, and a reconstruction author, said, “An old social order had been destroyed, and everything was up for grabs. African Americans were trying to build up a community that will sustain their freedom, stay united with their families, and achieves equality under the law.
On the other hand, whites tried to oppose the new social order, rebuild their plantains, and fight against the proposed equality. Whites managed to enact the black codes, which restricted the lives of the blacks. The laws were enacted against the freedmen owning property and attaining education. However, the period finally gave the blacks freedom to voting, achieve employment, and acquire land
The whites tried to maintain their supremacy through the reconstruction era. The need for white supremacy dominance encouraged whites to point out to blacks that it would be hard for them to sustain their lives without depending on the white’s wages. Whites wanted blacks to come back to their plantations and work for their living. Most African Americans were poor and could not afford to support their day to day needs as free people. Therefore they went back to be white laborers, but this time, they did not work under slavery terms. They designed contract terms with the white’s employers and led to whites agreeing on written agreements to pay black laborers after a certain working period. Whites also reacted with hostility towards the black efforts to attain education and went to the extent of burning schools that were constructed for the blacks.
In conclusion, the Reconstruction era was introduced to Americans after the end of civil war in 1865, April by then the president of the state Lincoln. Lincoln aimed at ending slavery in both North and south of America and freeing them to benefit from the political and social rights as other citizens. However, the reconstruction era received mixed reactions from the whites and black southerners. Blacks perceived reconstruction as a chance to regain and fighting for the meaning of that freedom. On the other side, reconstruction for whites was a humility moment, and they saw the era as a black vengeful imposition. Blacks demanded recognition of their rights as legal American citizens, and they organized meeting demanding equality before the law and at least acceptance of the black males in political positions.
References
Beth G. Crabtree and James W. Patton, eds., “Journal of a Secesh Lady”: The Diary of Catherine Ann Devereux Edmonston (Raleigh, NC: Division of Archives and History, 1979), pp. 709‒28.
Source: Excerpt from Nell Irvin Painter, Exodusters: Black Migration to Kansas after Reconstruction. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1977).