In this class, American History since 1865, one of our main objectives is to understand the present as a product of history - in the case of this lecture, the foundations and evolutions of systemic racism in American society. The passage of the Reconstruction Amendments following the Civil War promised new freedoms and opportunities to African Americans. However, those amendments, as well as the progress of African Americans in the early phases of Reconstruction, were systematically circumvented and dismantled. Drawing on this unit's material, write a 250-350 word post considering the below questions in your response.
Why were the specific freedoms granted by the three Reconstruction Amendments especially significant? What protections against discrimination do they not cover? (Hint: think about what grants citizens positions of power/success in this country.)
What are several examples of how these freedoms were subverted in the Jim Crow system in the South?
How did African Americans respond to and resist these oppressions?
What is the significance of confronting this historical narrative today - BOTH oppressive measures and resistance measures?