Reconstruction and Equality for African Americans

Reconstruction and Equality for African Americans

By

Chlanee Johnson

The words "civil rights" might connote the thought of equal opportunities. However, civil rights are much more than that. They extend to all nonpolitical rights of citizens. Throughout history equal rights has always been a major issue in the United States, and around the world. People have fought and even died to protect their rights and the rights of others in this country. This essay is about American history between the time period of 1860 to 1877 consisting of many turbulent changes both socially and in legislation which represented a Reconstruction Era of sorts due to the fact that the changing ideas and attitudes of people reached Congress and caused alterations to be made in the Constitution, the very foundation of our Country. The Reconstruction was characterized by the attempt to restore Union after the Civil War. During this time an immeasurable amount of significant laws and bills were passed and made lasting changes to America and the Constitution. Although these laws and policies made up Reconstruction, they also made a revolution that changed America forever. The goal of the Reconstruction Era was to reunite the southern states and ensure freedom and civil rights of the southern blacks. African Americans had another war to fight with whites for freedom and equality even after the Civil War. Our constitution is the oldest written document that is still used and is still in effect today. "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America". The preamble of the constitution explains the purposes of the government based on the will of the people. W.E.B Du Bois, a civil rights activist once stated, “It was a Negro loyalty and the Negro vote alone that restored the South to the Union; established a new democracy, both for white and black”. Most believe that this statement alone declared that Reconstruction was a great success but is was a success due to the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Congress institution of the 14th and 15th Amendments, and the African Americans involvement in Reconstruction.

The Reconstruction Era took three periods to be completed. The first was Lincoln, the second was Andrew Johnson, and the third was Congressional Reconstruction. After the civil war, South cities were seriously destroyed in 1865, and North cities were not affected. In economic aspect, economic life had come to a stop. During this time period of change two congressional factions formed