Reconstruction Era in the US - Essay Example

Reconstruction Introduction Reconstruction era represented a significant phase in the lives of numerous freed Blacks in US lasting from 1865 to 1877. This is due to freedom, which Blacks received during then besides other significant enactments put in place to grant them an elevated status contrary to what Southern slave masters deemed for long suited them. However, complete guaranteed freedom during then was far from its realization due to key groups and influential icons in the government who had conflicting intentions. Hence, prompting Dubois term the attainment of equality during then as a “splendid failure” because an individual’s recognition or mode of treatment assumed racial lines. This is regardless of passing of 13Th, 14Th and 15th amendments intended to grant Blacks more rights besides voting. For instance, Northerners during Lincoln’s regime felt the then incumbent president was extremely slow in effecting significant laws meant to make Blacks enjoy similar privileges like any other citizen. Therefore, they ended up pressuring the president though at his pace he was capable of seeing some plans towards Blacks’ freedom realized. However, Johnson who was his successor proved to be totally against Blacks’ freedom and the entire reconstruction process thus causing confusion besides making it less efficient. Therefore, Dubois was right when he termed efforts exhibited during reconstruction era intended to make Black men Americans citizens were “splendid failure” because racism, utter segregation and ill-treatment of Blacks continued to be the norm of the day. During then, Blacks unlike other people continued to experience utter ill treatment from their white counterparts especially in the Southern regions. This was to the extent of not having legal protection against open vandalism subjected on them and eventually no actions put in place to bring those responsible to the book. According to New York Times, Blacks were “…….quietly endeavoring to make arrangements to dispose of their property and emigrate to States where their persons will be secure against unprovoked assault, and where their property will be protected against vandalism” (“New York Times”). This is because somehow the government of the day contributed to Blacks’ woes especially during Johnson’s era who contrary to Lincoln exhibited little interest in ensuring they were safe. Therefore, Blacks opted to relocate to the regions where they would receive fair treatment as advocated by Northerners. Relocating in this case seemed as an effective solution to their woes because Blacks during then felt unease to report to the legal authorities any incidences of injustice fearing intimidation and victimization. Hence, theirs was a completely losing battle especially in equaling whites because the government of the day favored only the latter. Reconstruction era despite the then authorities seeming to recognize Blacks’ presence and dignity, it was hard for them to enjoy same privileges as their white counterparts. This is especially during Johnson’s regime, which was extremely opposite of what Lincoln anticipated to implement though being slow to ensure Blacks’ safety. According to Special Field Orders there were “……400,000 acres along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts abandoned by white planters be confiscated and divided into 40 acre parcels (Mooney, 15).” Conversely, all these plans Johnson revoked them leading to immense loss of homes, crops and land besides making numerous dreams of freed slaves undergo “unexpected miscarriage”. This incidence besides others and even hatred towards Blacks acted as sure prove African Americans during reconstruction epoch were not even near to be “true citizens”. Therefore, they were only in foreign state where the central regime pretended to care about them but in real sense openly exhibited the contrary though using laws to do so. This is evident in Litwack’s sentiments citing, “…The challenge of racial equality overwhelmed the American imagination.” (Danielle 26). Hence, implying Blacks and their sympathizers the aspect of equality only was in their minds but not in reality or seen actualized by those who loudly claimed to implement. In addition, Du Bois in his argument was right concerning reconstruction era and especially about Blacks’ status. According to lecture notes, during then an “average black slave did not own a single possession opposed to the clothes on their back (Lecture notes, 9 September 2013).” This status proves the utter state of Blacks, which during then could not equal that of whites despite the government citing to have compelled Southern masters to release them. Blacks’’ woes were worse than what they anticipated they would be better after breaking yokes of slavery. In America, Blacks were free but did not have fundamental necessities meant to enable them enjoy life for their first time. One of the key predicaments, which these slaves experienced, encompasses homelessness besides security officials and other authorities executing them anyhow without proper due process. Blacks also experienced inadequate representation in the central government whereby those supposed to cater for their welfare tossed them in all sides as they evaded responsibilities. This is evident in Thaddeus speech claiming, “…...If we do not furnish them with homesteads, and hedge them around with protective laws; if we leave them to the legislation of their late masters, we had better have left them in bondage” (Mackey 156). This implied the government during then did not play its part as necessitated to the extent of some congressional representatives like Thaddeus intervening not only as a sympathizer but also from a human point of view (“American History”). Since, what Freedmen were then experiencing was extremely inhuman compared to when they were slaves. This is because in the latter condition Blacks were capable of receiving meager necessities from their masters contrary to when free and roaming in the country without a penny in their pockets. Reconstruction contrary to numerous people’s perception, it represented Blacks’ period of extremely hard struggle towards compelling the government to grant them adequate space meant to enjoy their respective fundamental privileges. This is not only the freedom they received from their southern masters but also equality with other people in the society. Hence, prompting Foner to refer the then heated political debates as tools of struggles by “…...African Americans to breathe substantive life into the freedom they acquired (Foner). This is because Blacks seemed to enjoy some rights based on gender whereby women segregated from essential benefits of their struggle. Conclusion Transforming African Americans during reconstruction era to equal whites was a complete failure as observed by Dubois. Since, despite the government of the day having granted them freedom from the Southern masters, Blacks did not have anything to rely on except clothes, which they were on their backs. This made their lives extremely worse besides utter segregation especially by the two regimes, which had the mandate of ensuring their safety. These regimes and especially that of Johnson yielded to worsening Blacks’ woes by declining from allocating them land and using security authorities to execute them. Hence, prompting majority of them opt to dispose their properties and relocate to regions where they felt to be secure instead of being in a state that did not care about their welfare. Work Cited “The Mississippi Plan.” New York Times. 19Th June 1877. Web. 13Th October 2013. Alexander, Danielle. "Forty Acres and A Mule: The Ruined Hope Of Reconstruction." Humanities Jan 2004: 26-9. ProQuest. 13 Oct. 2013. Foner, Eric. The Reconstruction Amendments: Official Documents as Social History. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. n.d. Web. 13Th October 2013. Lecture notes. 9Th September 2013. Mackey, Thomas C. A Documentary History of the American Civil War Era: Volume 2, Political Arguments. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2013. Internet resource. Thaddeus Stevens speech of December 18 1865. American History. Pennsylvania. 18Th December 1865. Keynote Speech. Read More