Reconstruction Video

The video emphasizes that the Reconstruction Era influenced contemporary anti-black hate crimes. After the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation aligned the executive branch with abolition, ending the war and passing the Reconstruction amendments, giving hope to America. African Americans were filled with hope and positivity, without any knowledge that difficulties would come. After being freed, they faced uncertainty as the North and South had differing visions for the form of Reconstruction.

The Confederate surrender at Appomattox marked only the beginning of a struggle for peace. During slavery, newspaper ads appeared that exposed the heartbreaking separation of enslaved families. These ads shed light on the issue, revealing the cruel reality of the time.

Andrew Johnson became President after Lincoln's assassination. He held significant authority during Congress's recess. Johnson blamed the planter class for the nation's problems but also had racist tendencies, refusing to shake hands with Frederick Douglass.

Johnson, who grew up poor in the South, deeply disliked wealthy white plantation owners. To ensure peace and safeguard the rights of former slaves, Johnson created The Freedmen's Bureau. The Freedmen's Bureau received 850,000 acres of land for the benefit of the freedmen, seen as a potential framework for Reconstruction. Andrew Johnson required people seeking pardons to personally contact him at the White House.

Many Southerners said that he had previously disapproved of asking him for forgiveness. Johnson directed the return of Freedman's Bureau land to Confederates. Freedmen had to contract with white landowners.

The Southern states were left devastated after the Civil War. The Confederates left their economy and land in ruins, and many still believe their actions were just. During a certain period, members of the Confederate government were allowed to participate in Congress. In addition, a clerk failed to mention any of these individuals in the official record of the proceedings. Exclusion from Congress sparked Democrat outbursts.

After losing their land, many freedmen moved to cities like Memphis. However, these cities were often racially tense. As a result, Memphis became a densely populated area with a fraught social climate. Black men were being shot at by white men and riots were quickly breaking out.

The riots resulted in the destruction of all-black schools and churches and the tragic loss of 48 African-American lives. The survivors sought shelter at the White House and shared their experiences with Congress. Their testimony convinced Congress to recognize the necessity of including rights for African Americans in the Constitution to ensure equal treatment.

If the process of rebuilding after the Civil War had been smoother, then the 14th Amendment wouldn't have been necessary. In the 1868 presidential election, Republican Ulysses S. Grant won the election. Grant was highly popular, particularly among freedmen, as he treated them with dignity and respect. Half a million black men voted in this election. This gave black enslaved people a great hope.