African American Revision
Reconstruction
Social Economic Political
Former slaves were now sharecropping, white landowners allowed former slaves to work their land
in return for a small wage, however this went towards rent for living on the land, so they were still
essentially slaves. However, families were no longer separated. Also, economic
Black codes were passed in congress, due to Johnson being a sympathetic president, which allowed
Southern states to have laws to control slaves- also, political
Radical Republicans in congress were active opponents of slavery. They wanted radical changes to
help freed slaves. They were influential but had limited support in the North as a whole.
Freedmen’s Bureau was set up by congress in March 1865 to care for former slaves. It provided
food, shelter, hospitals, and education. It set up two universities, but its 900 agents were subject to
intimidation and violence by hostile white southerners.
Johnson successor Grant. Grant’s presidency saw him working closely with congress and used
federal troops to support the legislation. The unity between president and congress led to
remarkable changes of the period of 1868-75.
9 April 1866- Civil Rights Act- all persons born in the USA had rights of citizens
9 July 1868- 14TH Amendment- passed June 1866 but ratified 2 years later. Declared that no state
could deny any person full rights as an American citizen
3 February 1870- 15th Amendment- gave all citizens the right to vote
28 February 1871- Second Enforcement Act- overturned state laws which prevent AA form voting
and provided federal supervision for elections
20 April 1871- Third Enforcement Act- also known as the Klu klux Klan Act and made it a federal
offence for two or more people to conspire to deprive citizens of their rights to equal protection of
the laws
1 March 1875- Civil Rights Act- all citizens were entitled to any housing, facilities available- this
was declared unconstitional in 1883 with US Vs Harris supreme court case – private discrimination
didn’t fall under federal jurisdiction
A joint commission of Fifteen was established in December in 1865 which pushed through 14 th and
15th amendment. It also sanctioned military support for the Reconstruction measures in the South;
federal troops would not be used again in this way until 1950.
These changes seem remarkably modern. After 1877, the Southern states were allowed to deprive
AA of their rights and it was not until the 1960s that anything as radical was done to help them. The
later CRA of 1964 forbade racial discrimination and the CRA of 1965 codified and put into force the
14th guarantee that no person should be denied the right to vote on account of race and colour.
Reconstruction didn’t achieve equality, but a remarkable number of AA sat in assemblies and took
part in public life. For example, in Mississippi, in the years 1867-87 they had one black congressman
and two senators. The level of voter registration and political participation was not seen again after
1877 until the 1970s
1877 Compromise
By 1877, northern voters were tired of the issue of civil rights.
South Carolina and Louisiana would vote for Hayes for president if he allowed them to ‘control their
own affairs’. The compromise ended reconstruction. Troops were withdrawn and the Southern
States were allowed to ignore reconstruction legislation. This meant all the progress made towards
civil rights was removed.
Effects of Jim Crow Laws: Role of State Legislatures
Southern states passed a series of discriminatory measures against AA known as Jim Crow Laws and
gradually Segregation became legal
Tennessee segregated rail travel in 1881, and this soon spread through the south. After 1899, there
were laws segregating waiting rooms. Eventually segregation affected parts of everyday life.
, In theory, AA could vote but each state was free to establish its own qualifications. Southern states
introduced restrictions such as literacy tests, which deliberately excluded AA. Some states used
‘grandfather clauses’ where you could only vote if your grandfather could before 1866. Mississippi
began the process of setting stringent voter registration tests in 1890 and then other states
followed. The 13,000 African American voters in Louisiana in 1896 had fallen to 5000 in 1900.
By the 1890s, on average, an AA was brutally killed every two days
The Supreme Court
High points of Supreme Courts importance in came in 1896, in giving legal backing to segregation,
and in 1954, in giving legal backing into integration
Barrier for civil rights:
1883- United States V. Harris- ruled the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was unconstitutional
determined that private discrimination didn’t fall under federal jurisdiction
1896- Plessy V. Ferguson- ‘separation but equal’ established the legal basis for segregation
1898- Williams V. Mississippi- declared that discriminatory voting rules weren’t
unconstitutional, as there was no specific mention of race on voting qualifications
Promoter of civil rights:
1944- Smith V. Allwright led to a ruling that it was unconstitutional for black voters to be
excluded from party primary voting
1954- Brown V. Topeka Board of Education ruling that segregation was illegal
- The most significant federal intervention in civil rights since Congressional
Reconstruction. It led to violence and protests in the south, leading to the use of
federal armed forces to enforce
1969- Alexander V. Holmes County- insisting on more rapid desegregation of schools
The role of the Executive 1877-1960
When the different elements of the federal government worked together, the most progress was
made. The most striking progress was made during reconstruction and in the period after 1963. In
the period of 1877-1960, whilst administrations did some things to advance civil rights, there wasn’t
much general progress.
In 1960, most elements of post-1877 period remained. For example, there was still segregation, AA
still faced barriers in registering to vote, considerable racial prejudice in the south and in both the
north and south there was still distinct black and white districts
Presidents
The personality and attitude of a president towards civil rights was important in achieving them because
it put an authoritative character behind the movement.
The president, who's activities were greatly influenced by predominantly white voters, may appear to
have been a limiting factor in achieving civil rights because of the volatile attitudes that have clearly held
the movement back throughout the period.
Andrew Johnson- allowed black codes to pass, which significantly limited AA civil rights and allowed
them to be punished in similar ways to as when they were slaves- didn’t prioritise civil rights
Grant- passed the progressive reconstruction legislation
Rutherford Hayes- 1877 compromise and allowed southern states make and control their own laws
on AA
Woodrow Wilson- was a white supremacist and played KKK movies in the white house
Roosevelt- had the most radical of the administrations since reconstruction
His new deal of the 1930s included aid for both black and white people without official
discrimination.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) provided work for unemployed people and didn’t discriminate
on the account of race. However, this was not the initiative of the administration, but in response to
a demand by a black republican congressman, Oscar De Priest. He was the single representative for
11 million AA- would the administration have done it if it wasn’t for his demands, not as radical as it
seems
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