The Civil War & Reconstruction Era

The events that took place from the start of the Civil War in 1861 to the sudden end of Reconstruction in 1877. Blog by Jennifer Bermudez

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The Compromise of 1877, Harper Weekly (1877)

The Compromise of 1877 would ultimately put an end to the Reconstruction Era. Rutherford B. Hayes was inaugurated as the 19th president of the U.S. He accepted the compromise of withdrawing the remaining troops from the South and in return would become president of the U.S. 

The Reconstruction Era would result in little improvement for black people’s economic and social status. What was supposed to be a period of change for black people would turn out to be more violence and discrimination against them. They were failed once again by the same people who promised them change.

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African American men waiting in line to vote in 1867.

The 15th amendment allowed African American men the right to vote. They were no longer denied their rights due to their skin color and finally had a say in government.

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A group of Union African American soldiers taken during the Civil War

After President Abraham Lincoln passed the Emancipation Proclamation a portion of African Americans were given freedom and the right to fight in the war. Black people made up 10% of the Union army.

It was a big step from going to a slave to going to war against the Confederate to possibly gain their freedom. With the assistance of the Union they would ensure that black soldiers would get freedom.

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Black families gathering bodies of African Americans after the massacre

One of the worst racial violence against African Americans was the 1873 Colfax Massacre. An all black militia defended the Grant Parish regional government and were met with a mob of 150 white men. An estimated 60-150 African Americans died as a result.

The massacre would teach us the great lengths that white Southerners would go to to regain their authority. They took it upon themselves to invoke such violence upon people who simply wanted to be seen equal. People should not have to die for their freedom.

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Photo taken In North Carolina during the Reconstruction Era

African Americans were forced into horrible working conditions under white Southerners. They had to relive the same mistreatment they received when they were slaves. The Black Codes were anti-black laws that were introduced after the abolishment of slavery.

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The overall summary of the ups and downs of the Reconstruction Era

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The First Colored Senator and Representatives (1872)

Hiram Reeves (far left) was the first African American U.S. senator for Mississippi with the first black members of the House of Representatives. History was made because this was the first election that African Americans were allowed to run for government which was a big success for them.

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Political poster (1866)

One of the many racist political posters due to the tension regarding the Freedman’s Bureau. The Freedman’s Bureau was created by the radical Republicans to assist free black people to have economic stability and secure political freedom. It describes black people as lazy and draws a picture of a free black person in an offensive manner. Every change made in favor of giving freedom to black people were attacked by the South. Their hatred towards black people was alive and well.

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The Aftermath of the American Civil War captured in Little Rock, Arkansas

African American soldiers return home at the end of the Civil War and are greeted by women and children. They celebrate the victory of the Union and the laws being passed that gave them more rights.

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This photo is of African-American children sitting on a porch in Hammond, Louisiana, around 1865. Southern states passed laws in 1865 and 1866, known as “Black Codes”.  These laws allowed white people to take African-American children away from freed slaves, if they thought they were not being provided for. The children would then be brought to live on their plantations, and expected to work much the same way that former slaves were.  Many of these “Black Codes” looked to fine freed slaves on vagrancy, and brought them back to work on plantations to work off their “crimes”.

{Photo courtesy of Library of Congress}.  

Reference:  “Traveling the Freedom Road-From Slavery & the Civil War through Reconstruction”-Linda Barrett Osborne

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The white Southerners hatred towards colored people continued on with their children. Before the abolishment of slavery it was common for white owners to separate a mother and their children. They would continue with this inhumane act during the Reconstruction Era.

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The Reconstruction Era would ultimately come to an end in 1877. Leading up to this end white Southerners took it upon themselves to turn to violence because of the changes. The Ku Klux Klan was born and they targeted black people and anyone else who stood in their way. Black people were terrorized and lynched just because of the color of their skin.

Democrats would gain control of the South and President Grant stopped sending federal enforcement in Southern states. The Reconstruction Era came to a close and black people would continue to be suppressed.

Ultimately, black people saw little change in their economic and social status. The South did everything that they could to show their white dominance and keep black people from gaining more rights.

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U.S. president Andrew Johnson failed to uphold the policies of the Reconstruction Era when he vetoed the Freedman’s Bureau and Civil Rights bills. 

Many individuals from the North were left furious and disagreed with his policies. However, Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867. The South had to ratify the 14th amendment and 15th amendment which gave more rights to black people. Blacks would win elections in Southern states and in Congress. 

The Reconstruction Act was very progressive for black people. They were able to obtain more rights in the South. This gave hope to black people because there was never a black politician until now. With one of their own representing them in government they were able to trust the same system that have oppressed them.

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During the Reconstruction Era, President Johnson gave the Southern state governments leniency on how they wanted to rebuild themselves. As a result, Mississippi and South Carolina created the first black codes. 

These codes forced people of color to sign labor contracts in which they were referred as “servants.” It stated that if the servant quits before the due date they would lose their wages and be arrested. In addition white owners had the right to abuse them.

Only within a year, the southern states were able to restrict the rights of African Americans once again. They did gain a couple civil rights but the South could not let go of the idea of black people having their own freedom. They would continue to be mistreated unfairly because of the South’s inability to move on from slavery.

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On January 31, 1865 Congress passed the 13th amendment and ratified on December 6, 1865. The 13th amendment would abolish slavery in the U.S.

Abraham Lincoln made efforts to ensure that the 13th amendment through congress. The Confederate states were not happy to hear of this since their way of life was owning slaves.

Slaves would later gain their freedom all over the U.S. which was one step closer to finally be seen as an equal. They have been oppressed for more than 250 years and the 13th amendment was the victory they needed.

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On January 1, 1863 U.S. President Abraham Lincoln would pass The Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. 

It declared that all slaves held within the Confederate states were considered free and that their freedom depended on the victory of the Union in the war.

Although, it didn’t fully end slavery it changed the hearts of many Americans and would allow African Americans to fight in the war. The Union was now fighting for the freedom for African Americans which they have agreed that slavery must come to an end not just in the North but all over the U.S.

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First Shots of the Civil War Fired at Fort Sumter

On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces in South Carolina shelled a Union base that President Abraham Lincoln refused to surrender.

The Civil War would start on April 12, 1861 where the first shots were fired by the Confederate troops on Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor.

Southern states seceded from the Union and formed their own nation called the Confederate States of America. U.S president Abraham Lincoln believed they did not have the right to secede and the Confederates forced an attack on Fort Sumter.

The South and North disagreed with a lot of things. One of the main things that have caused a lot of tension between the 2 is slavery. The South wanted to keep slavery because it dominated their economic, political and social life and they were used to it. The North knew how inhumane it was to own slaves and how the South badly mistreats them. 

As a result, the battle would go on for 33 hours and the Confederates would win the first battle.