Sammi Zandt
African Americans 1865-1992
Reconstructon (1865-1877):
Brief Successes and Failures:
A.Johnson (1965-9) = racist who supported slavery & opposed equal rights for AAs
AJ imposed: “presidental reconstructon” allowed S.States to pass “black codes” = undermined
Reconstructon & restored slavery in all but name
“Presidental Recon” ended 1867 by Republican Congress
1866 CRA Johnson tried to veto it Congress overrode him with a 2/3 majority
2000 AAs held public ofce
1873 there was a black state Governor the next tme was in 1989
Military Reconstructon Act, 1867 passed by Congress = divided S into military districts =
prevented S.States from sending reps to Congress unless allowed to by Congress
To return to the Union, they had to a) allow AA vote, b) accept the 14 th Amen
Why did Reconstructon fail?
Grant 1869-77 supported 15th A & passed legislaton in 1870-1 to suppress KKK
Freedman’s Bureau collapsed in 1872
Fed Govt stopped prosecutng KKK from 1873
Grant supported the 1875 CRA but it was inefectve 1875 = resurgence of racist violence
enabled Democrats to regain control in all but 3 of the former Confederate states.
1875 CRA = the last untl 1957
Grant’s 2nd term = econ depression in 1873 distracted govt from Recon
Compromise of 1877 Democrats controlled the South agreed to recognise Republican
Hayes as Pres for complete withdrawal of fed troops
Fed troops = only protecton for AAs S.States could now act freely to est systems of
discriminaton & seg
White Reacton and Discriminaton:
White S. didn’t accept former slaves as equals & tried to restore white supremacy with violence
AA CR secure de jure but not de facto
AA Legislaton undermined by SC e.g. Slaughterhouse Case of 1873 decided the rights of citiees
were ueder state aed eot federal coetrol.
S.C: Cruikshank 1876 ruled Congress could only protect AAs from racist violence by states not
individuals = almost completely undermined 1875 CRA & 14th A
Legal Changes:
Law Explanaton
1865 13th A Declared slavery unlawful except as punishment for a crime whereby the party had
been convicted
1866 CRA Declared all persons born in the US citiens without regard to colour, race
1868 14th A Granted citienship to all persons born or naturalised in the US including former
slaves recently freed (reinforced CRA, harder to repeal)
1870 15th A Granted AA men the right to vote and shall not be denied on account of race, colour
or previous conditon of servitude
1875 CRA Federal Law to protect all citiens in their civil + legal rights, giving equal treatment
1
African Americans 1865-1992
Reconstructon (1865-1877):
Brief Successes and Failures:
A.Johnson (1965-9) = racist who supported slavery & opposed equal rights for AAs
AJ imposed: “presidental reconstructon” allowed S.States to pass “black codes” = undermined
Reconstructon & restored slavery in all but name
“Presidental Recon” ended 1867 by Republican Congress
1866 CRA Johnson tried to veto it Congress overrode him with a 2/3 majority
2000 AAs held public ofce
1873 there was a black state Governor the next tme was in 1989
Military Reconstructon Act, 1867 passed by Congress = divided S into military districts =
prevented S.States from sending reps to Congress unless allowed to by Congress
To return to the Union, they had to a) allow AA vote, b) accept the 14 th Amen
Why did Reconstructon fail?
Grant 1869-77 supported 15th A & passed legislaton in 1870-1 to suppress KKK
Freedman’s Bureau collapsed in 1872
Fed Govt stopped prosecutng KKK from 1873
Grant supported the 1875 CRA but it was inefectve 1875 = resurgence of racist violence
enabled Democrats to regain control in all but 3 of the former Confederate states.
1875 CRA = the last untl 1957
Grant’s 2nd term = econ depression in 1873 distracted govt from Recon
Compromise of 1877 Democrats controlled the South agreed to recognise Republican
Hayes as Pres for complete withdrawal of fed troops
Fed troops = only protecton for AAs S.States could now act freely to est systems of
discriminaton & seg
White Reacton and Discriminaton:
White S. didn’t accept former slaves as equals & tried to restore white supremacy with violence
AA CR secure de jure but not de facto
AA Legislaton undermined by SC e.g. Slaughterhouse Case of 1873 decided the rights of citiees
were ueder state aed eot federal coetrol.
S.C: Cruikshank 1876 ruled Congress could only protect AAs from racist violence by states not
individuals = almost completely undermined 1875 CRA & 14th A
Legal Changes:
Law Explanaton
1865 13th A Declared slavery unlawful except as punishment for a crime whereby the party had
been convicted
1866 CRA Declared all persons born in the US citiens without regard to colour, race
1868 14th A Granted citienship to all persons born or naturalised in the US including former
slaves recently freed (reinforced CRA, harder to repeal)
1870 15th A Granted AA men the right to vote and shall not be denied on account of race, colour
or previous conditon of servitude
1875 CRA Federal Law to protect all citiens in their civil + legal rights, giving equal treatment
1
