Reconstruction

1865 – 19191865 – 1919

English 12 African HeritageEnglish 12 African Heritage

What was the "Reconstruction Era"?

■Policies implemented regarding the Policies implemented regarding the South between 1863 and 1877 – South between 1863 and 1877 – HOW DO WE HEAL FROM HOW DO WE HEAL FROM SLAVERY?SLAVERY?

■Nation was focused on winning the Nation was focused on winning the Civil War, abolishing slavery, Civil War, abolishing slavery, defeating the Confederacy, defeating the Confederacy, reconstructing the nation and reconstructing the nation and amending the US Constitution amending the US Constitution

■Abraham Lincoln was major Abraham Lincoln was major policymaker until his assassination policymaker until his assassination in 1865in 1865

Republican majority

■ In 1865 President Andrew Johnson In 1865 President Andrew Johnson announced that Reconstruction had announced that Reconstruction had been been accomplishedaccomplished as soon as the as soon as the states repudiated slaverystates repudiated slavery

■ Black men given the vote in AmericaBlack men given the vote in America

■ ALL women still without suffrageALL women still without suffrage

Other Challenges to the Nation after the War:

■ Increased number of religious denominations Increased number of religious denominations increased national tensionsincreased national tensions

■ New scientific theories challenged previously New scientific theories challenged previously held ideas about social order held ideas about social order

■ Many different social groups were Many different social groups were intersecting: African Americans, slaves and intersecting: African Americans, slaves and free citizens, Euro-Americans, and indigenous free citizens, Euro-Americans, and indigenous people and their ways of life were changingpeople and their ways of life were changing

The Post Civil War Task

■ Reconcile populationsReconcile populations

■ Reaffirm the original vision of the New Reaffirm the original vision of the New WorldWorld

■ Determine the societal role of freed slaves, Determine the societal role of freed slaves, indigenous Americans, women and recent indigenous Americans, women and recent immigrantsimmigrants

■ Produce a society faithful to the intent of the Produce a society faithful to the intent of the ConstitutionConstitution

Role of Women

■Established themselves as the backbone of Established themselves as the backbone of anti-slavery movementanti-slavery movement

■Developed administrative and political skillsDeveloped administrative and political skills■Became accomplished speakers and writersBecame accomplished speakers and writers■ Identified with the condition of blacksIdentified with the condition of blacks■Gained more independence and experience Gained more independence and experience

through the demands of war through the demands of war ■Developed hospitals, schools, recreational Developed hospitals, schools, recreational

centers and other institutionscenters and other institutions

Changes in Economic Structure

■ Industrial expansion changed plantation Industrial expansion changed plantation system from slavery to sharecropping and system from slavery to sharecropping and tenant farming.tenant farming.

■ First transcontinental railroad 1869 built by First transcontinental railroad 1869 built by exploited Asians and blacks exploited Asians and blacks

■ Opened up the frontier and the availability of Opened up the frontier and the availability of produce, raw materials and finished goodsproduce, raw materials and finished goods

■ Changed nation from small towns to urban Changed nation from small towns to urban metropolisesmetropolises

A Decade of Reconstruction

■ 1867 to 18771867 to 1877■ Reconstruction Act - struck down codes that Reconstruction Act - struck down codes that

restricted blacksrestricted blacks■ Freedmen's Bureau- northerners Freedmen's Bureau- northerners

established schools to train freed slavesestablished schools to train freed slaves■ Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional Amendments

■13th - outlawed slavery (1865)13th - outlawed slavery (1865)■14th - equal protection for African 14th - equal protection for African

Americans (1868)Americans (1868)■15th - right to vote for black men (1870)15th - right to vote for black men (1870)

End of Reconstruction

■ Vigilante groups such as Ku Klux Klan Vigilante groups such as Ku Klux Klan embarked on a wave of brutal suppression embarked on a wave of brutal suppression ignored by federal governmentignored by federal government

■ 1877 return of 1877 return of DemocratsDemocrats to power to power reversed previous gains made by blacksreversed previous gains made by blacks

■ Withdrawal of federal troops in south Withdrawal of federal troops in south reversed protective legislation for African reversed protective legislation for African AmericansAmericans

Reasons for Downfall of Reconstruction

■ After the war, abolitionists turned attention After the war, abolitionists turned attention to women's rights, pacifism, temperanceto women's rights, pacifism, temperance

■ Suffragists angry that black men could vote Suffragists angry that black men could vote and not women -- withdrew supportand not women -- withdrew support

■ Abolitionist leaders aged, diedAbolitionist leaders aged, died

■ Influx of European labor in north took away Influx of European labor in north took away jobs and hope for social mobility for blacksjobs and hope for social mobility for blacks

"Writing Things Right"

■ Throughout history Americans have used Throughout history Americans have used literature to represent the sentiment of the literature to represent the sentiment of the times both politically and sociallytimes both politically and socially

■ Most popular literature in America taught Most popular literature in America taught and confirmed social valuesand confirmed social values

■ African American writers understood this African American writers understood this and tried to produce work that both pleased and tried to produce work that both pleased and taughtand taught

The Role of African American Literature of the Reconstruction Period

■ Literature had to correct historical Literature had to correct historical perceptions that African Americans were perceptions that African Americans were not intellectually or creatively capablenot intellectually or creatively capable

■ Confirm creative genius Confirm creative genius

■ Document and shape social, political and Document and shape social, political and spiritual hopes for African Americansspiritual hopes for African Americans

Slave Narratives to Personal Testimony

■ After the war (postbellum) narratives described After the war (postbellum) narratives described rugged individualism and the "American Dream“rugged individualism and the "American Dream“

■ Concentrated on the lessons learned from Concentrated on the lessons learned from slaveryslavery

■ Not all writers had been slaves - some literature Not all writers had been slaves - some literature instead reflected conditions of segregation and instead reflected conditions of segregation and persecutionpersecution

■ Used as a model for overcoming past to arrive at Used as a model for overcoming past to arrive at a better futurea better future

African American literature and literacy

■ With more schools opening for blacks With more schools opening for blacks the need for relevant texts grewthe need for relevant texts grew

■ Texts offered reading, writing, Texts offered reading, writing, arithmetic and vocational skillsarithmetic and vocational skills

■ Also needed texts to express history, Also needed texts to express history, position and hopes of African Americansposition and hopes of African Americans

■ Biographies about notable blacks were Biographies about notable blacks were used to show both blacks and whites used to show both blacks and whites what the African American was capable what the African American was capable ofof

Popular African American Literature

■ Did not limit readership to race, class or Did not limit readership to race, class or cultureculture

■ Wrote literature accessible to allWrote literature accessible to all

■ Imitated and revised styles and themes of Imitated and revised styles and themes of white writerswhite writers

■ Used the same styles and wrote in the same Used the same styles and wrote in the same genres as white writersgenres as white writers

Important Writers of this Period

■ Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington

■ Ida B. Wells-BarnettIda B. Wells-Barnett

■ W.E.B Du BoisW.E.B Du Bois

■ James Weldon JohnsonJames Weldon Johnson

■ Paul Laurence DunbarPaul Laurence Dunbar

Booker T. Washington

■ Up From SlaveryUp From Slavery

Embraced by blacks as a Embraced by blacks as a

guide to a better future.guide to a better future.

He felt that the way to peace was for whites to He felt that the way to peace was for whites to embrace the blacks' desire for economic embrace the blacks' desire for economic opportunities, and for blacks to respect the opportunities, and for blacks to respect the whites' desire for social separation of the whites' desire for social separation of the races.races.

Urged fellow African Americans to accept status Urged fellow African Americans to accept status quo, and work gradually to improve quo, and work gradually to improve themselves and prove themselves valuable, themselves and prove themselves valuable, productive members of society.productive members of society.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett 1862 - 1931

Best known as an investigative journalist who reported on lynching in a factual, courageous,and consciousness- raising style.

She was a literary activist who wrote stirring essays to inform and persuade people to demand equal rights. She wanted to write for people who had little or no school training to describe their problems in a simple, helpful way.

W.E.B. Du Bois 1868-1963

"Renaissance Man“

Most multifaceted and influential writer that black America ever produced.

Harvard educated

Believed that ideas, not slogans were the way to get rid of bigotry.

Believed in the "ideal of human brotherhood"

Established the NAACP

James Weldon Johnson 1871 -1938Dedicated to helping black

people he became known as an author, politician, critic, journalist, poet, educator, lawyer, songwriter, and earlycivil rights activist. Johnson is remembered best for his writing, which includes novels, poems, and collections of folklore. In 1900, he wrote the Negro National Anthem - "Lift Ev'ry Voice and

Sing" with his brother.

Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872 - 1906

■ Known as black Poet LaureateKnown as black Poet Laureate■ Lively and cheerful verseLively and cheerful verse■ Strong use of dialect and idiomStrong use of dialect and idiom■ Described life of blacks Described life of blacks ■ Often criticized as a black artist co-opted Often criticized as a black artist co-opted

by white media hype, a poet who by by white media hype, a poet who by singing "serenely sweet to whites" only singing "serenely sweet to whites" only postponed the realization in his words: "I postponed the realization in his words: "I know why the caged bird sings."know why the caged bird sings."

ReconstructionReconstruction 1865-1877?1865-1877?

1865-1915?1865-1915?

1865-1964?1865-1964?

1865-2008?1865-2008?

Has the world healed yet from the Has the world healed yet from the damaging effects of slavery?damaging effects of slavery?