Danielle Luna O’Byrne
Ms. Garvin
USHH –African American Southerner Essay
9/18/12
In the 1860’s African American lives changed forever. The
end of the Civil War brought about a period of Reconstruction. The main
focus was on rebuilding the South, which suffered many losses, such as
the demolition of entire cities and their industries, now in dire need
of revival. Most importantly, the added task of rebuilding the lives of
those living in the South including freed slaves. Many rejoiced for
their new lives as free people but at what cost did it come? With this
new freedom came many consequences good and bad.
The birth of freedom brought about celebrations by Africans
in the North and South. African Americans self-expressed what they were
unable to do under slave owners, from rugs to music, they began
creating and inspiring. But after the new freedom novelty wore off the
realization of something much worse. Being a slave guaranteed shelter
and food, of course it wasn’t high class but it was something. Being
free, with no aid from the government, meant no shelter, food, and no
way to make money without relying on the help of white landowners.
Although some managed to sharecrop, most were still struggling.
Without education a free slave could get nowhere, those with education
could and many did get into politics, but those without education, were
left to work as farm hands. Many former slaves considered life as a
slave better compared to what they now faced.
Soon after this realizing the circumstances of freedom, the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were adopted. Both amendments
helping slaves gain rights. Now the government helped with the
education of African Americans and allowed them to vote. Being allowed
to vote gave the African Americans the chance to voice their opinion and
take part. In this way life being free was good, becoming a citizen of
the country and contributing a vote was a benefit. Yet right when
things looked good, white supremacy groups targeted African Americans.
Using loopholes, like literacy test, they were barred from their
rights, African Americans could no longer vote freely. These groups
also murdered or tortured African American, especially if it would stop
them from voting. Subjected to laws such as the Jim Crow Laws and the
expiration of the Freedmen's Bureau the former slaves were not in for an
easy life.
Ultimately, the Great Compromise of 1877
brought about the end of Reconstruction along with the end of the
Republican’s efforts to assist the African Americans. In turn, many
states stopped protecting
African Americans, leaving the African Americans defenseless and giving
the KKK an easy time capturing,abusing and murdering their targets.
Not only did losing government protection hurt African Americans and
most of their rights deteriorated along with it. Segregation began to
take over and it left the African Americans out in the cold.
