Reconstruction Period in Establishing Civil Rights for African Americans
Overview
This essay analyzes the Reconstruction period as both a success and failure in establishing civil rights for African Americans. It examines Black Codes as failures that oppressed the black community through voting restrictions and denial of legal protections, while highlighting legislative successes including the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and political participation opportunities that advanced African American rights.
What this essay covers
- Black Codes as failures (1856-1866): restrictions on voting, land ownership, testimony in courts, and carrying arms
- Legislative successes: Civil Rights Act of 1866, Fourteenth Amendment (1868), Reconstruction Acts, Fifteenth Amendment (1870), Civil Rights Act of 1875
- Political participation and empowerment: African Americans as delegates and elected officials through Republican voter drives and Union League initiatives
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Reconstruction Period
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Reconstruction Period in Establishing Civil Rights for African Americans
The reconstruction period can be termed as both a success and failure in trying to establish civil rights for African Americans. The black community was oppressed in many ways but at some point, there was reprieve for them. Therefore, the reconstruction era was both a success and failure for voting rights, congress change, and black codes
Black Codes laws was a failure during 1856 and 1866; there were Black Codes in the Confederates that tried to establish white supremacy. These were laws that would return African Americans to the slavery period. Blacks would not be able to vote, lease, or purchase land in given areas.
Inability to Testify against Whites was another failure; Blacks would not be able to testify against whites in courts of law and carrying of arms in large numbers to the courts would also be illegal for blacks. Blacks did not have rights under the whites even when they had been wronged (Boller, 1865). Black codes,failure to vote,lease or purchase land and denial of right to testify against the whites in the courts of law were setbacks during the reconstruction era.
Passing of Laws came as a success for the blacks. It essential to note that during the reconstruction era, there were many laws passed that ensured African Americans would be able to enjoy their civil rights? Radicals in Congress passed laws that would help southern blacks have political rights and equal civil rights.