African-American History from the Civil War to the Present dr. Liz Bryant

US During the 1850s Lots of tension over slavery South – Wants slavery to expand – Economy is totally dependent on slavery

US During the 1850s North- wants slavery to stop Abolition – Gradualists – Immediatists Key: this does not mean that Northerners believe African-Americans should be EQUAL; they just felt they shouldn’t be slaves

Election of 1860

Lincoln’s Beliefs He was anti-slavery BUT did not want to abolish slavery immediately Thought it should end gradually

BUT THE SOUTH DID NOT TRUST LINCOLN

The Secession Crisis Deep South followed: 1.12/20/60 South Carolina 2.01/09/61 Mississippi 3.01/10/61 Florida 4.01/11/61 Alabama 5.01/19/61 Georgia 6.01/26/61 Louisiana 7.02/01/61 Texas

Map of Dates of Secession

Become the Confederate States of America

WAR!!!!

Goals during War South Want to keep slavery North Want to keep the Union intact

Emancipation Proclamation

Freed slaves only in areas that had seceded from the United States (no jurisdiction) Used as a justification for the war Why doesn’t Lincoln free all the slaves?

Blacks in the Military

Blacks Served in the Navy

Gideon Welles Secretary of Navy Authorized enlistment of black soldiers BUT: – Highest rank was “boy” – Paid less than whites

James Lane Authorized blacks in calvary – These were the first blacks in combat – Blacks could not become officers

Recruiting African-Americans

1863- Large Scale Registration of Black Soldiers

54 th Massachusetts

Colonel Robert Shaw

Differences in the Way Troops Were Treated Pay – Blacks= $10 a month (minus $3 for clothes) – Whites= $13 a month (plus 3.50 clothes allowance) Black volunteers could not receive $100 bounty Blacks could not become commissioned officers

Black POWs Were not treated as enemy combatants Were to be treated as slaves and taken to the South and sold

White Officers of Black Troops Confederacy called for the death of all white officers working with black troops (1863)

Black Soldiers Took part in 450 battles 154 regiments 12% of Union forces 186,017 served/ 68,178 died Mortality rate= 40%

RECONSTRUCTION

Canons Conquer But They Do Not Necessarily Convert Post-War South: Economy is destroyed

Many Plans for Reconstruction Lincoln (Presidential) Johnson Radical

Different Goals for Reconstruction Lincoln- wants to reunite North and South as quickly as possible Radical Republicans- want to punish the South

Issue: What Is Going to Happen to the 4 Million Freedmen

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction Known as Presidential Reconstruction 10% of Southerners had to take a loyalty oath After oath, states could draw up new constitutions that – Abolished Slavery – Provided education to freedmen

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction Pretty easy on the South

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction No mention of civil or political rights for African-Americans

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction Criticized by the Radical Republicans in Congress for being too lenient

Wade-Davis Bill Passed by Congress Required 50% of Southerners to take an “ironclad” oath to the Union Vetoed by Lincoln

Lincoln’s Fate

Andrew Johnson

Lincoln’s Vice President Southern Democrat Not well-educated

Johnson’s Plan for Reconstruction Key: Johnson was concerned with uniting the white north and the white south Did not care what happened to African- Americans

Johnson’s Plan for Reconstruction Did not require common men to take a loyalty oath Only planters with over 20,000$ had to request a presidential pardon All states had to ratify the 13 th Amendment before being allowed back into the Union

Johnson’s Plan for Reconstruction

13 th Amendment

What actually ended slavery in the United States

The Radical Republicans Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner Wanted to do more for African-Americans Constantly challenged Johnson

Thaddeus Stevens

Charles Sumner

Goals of the Radical Republicans 1)Punish the South 2)Help African Americans

Why were the Radical Republicans So Angry? 1)Confederate leaders were back in power 2)Emergence of Black Codes

Alexander Stephens

Black Codes Slave codes but for freedman Regulated almost every aspect of their lives

Black Codes

Freedman’s Bureau Established by Lincoln to help African- Americans make the transition from slavery to freedom

Freedman’s Bureau

Freedman’s Bureau Schools

Freedman’s School

Johnson and the Freedmen’s Bureau Johnson vetoed the renewal of the Freedmen’s Bureau Said it was no longer necessary because wartime conditions had ended Becomes a big battle between Johnson and the Radical Republicans

Civil Rights Act (1866)

Guarantees civil rights to blacks Vetoed by Johnson Radicals override him Shows Radicals are now in charge of Reconstruction

Freedmen’s Bureau Radical Republicans pass a revised version of this bill

RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION

“Radical” Reconstruction Designed to help African-Americans more than either Lincoln or Johnson’s plans Punished the South

14 th Amendment

Granted African-Americans citizenship Gives blacks equal protection under the law KEY: Native Americans are not considered citizens under the 14 th Amendment

South Divided into 5 Military Districts

Reconstruction Act (1867) Creates 5 military districts in the South All states must ratify the 14 th Amendment All states must guarantee blacks the right to vote

Reconstruction Act (1867) Johnson tries to veto this but is overridden

South’s Reaction to the Reconstruction Act Thought it was unfair – Blacks couldn’t vote in all northern states so why were they allowed to in the South Hated seeing Union military leaders in the South making sure the Reconstruction Act was enforced

When States Were Admitted Back into the Union

15 th Amendment

Gave African-Americans the right to vote

Blacks Voting

The 15 th Amendment: Idealized

Depicting That All Men Could Vote

Voting Was Not Always an Easy Process

CHANGES IN THE SOUTH…

Carpetbaggers

Northerners who came South during Reconstruction to profit financially White Republican Many are elected to office

Scalawags

White Southerners who voted Republican Most hated group in the South – Seen as being treasonous

AFRICAN-AMERICANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION

African Americans during Reconstruction A visible minority

Blacks Were Politically Active Served in government in the local, state, and federal levels Voted in large numbers – Republican – Seen as the “Party of Lincoln”

From the plantation to the Senate… Most blacks were not prepared for these positions

Blanche Bruce

Hiram Revels

Black Politicians Create many programs designed to help African-Americans ISSUE: leads to taxes being raised

Black Politicians By the end of Reconstruction: – 16 Black Congressmen – 600 Black state legislators – 18 served as Lieutenant Governors, Treasurers, or Secretaries of State – Several hundred- local leadership roles Justice of the Peace School superintendents Mayors Country Commissioners Sheriffs

“Negro Supremacy”

Stereotype created by racist whites Fear tactic to get Southerners to come together to support white Democrats Components taken from slavery: – Blacks are brutes – Black men want to rape white women – Do you want to trust black men with a gun?

The Brute

Stereotype of Negro Supremacy

LIFE FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION…

Life for African Americans in the South Most worked agricultural jobs – Sharecropping – Tenant farming – Crop-lien system

Example of Sharecropping

Sharecropping Plantations are broken up into smaller plots Blacks work land Split profits 50/50 with owner of land Owner provides: – Land, seeds, farming tools, etc. Blacks provide labor

Tenant Farmers

Similar to sharecropping BUT blacks have something to contribute besides labor 75/25 split of profits

A Different Look Than Slavery?

Living Quarters

Crop Lien System Whites loan money to blacks to buy supplies, etc. Was to be paid back when crops were harvested

Crop Lien System ISSUE: What happens if a farmer has a bad year?

Crop Lien System Keeps blacks in a cycle of poverty Not allowed to move if they owed money

REACTION TO RECONSTRUCTION

Rise of White Supremacist Organizations Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Knights of the White Magnolia Goal of these groups was to restore white supremacy in the South through any means necessary

Birth of a Nation 1915 How is Reconstruction portrayed? How are blacks acting? What stereotypes are they conforming to?

KKK

KKK Used Terror to Achieve Their Goals

KKK= Voter Intimidation

KKK Social club founded in 1866 Hated Republicans Goal: Get Democrats in office

KKK Used voter intimidation to achieve their goal Blacks, Catholics, carpetbaggers, scalawags

KKK Their tactics work Leads to the emergence of “Redeemer” governments throughout the South – Conservative, white, Democratic leaders

Civil Rights Act 1875 Guaranteed blacks equal treatment in: – Public accommodation – Public transportation – Said blacks could serve on juries

Reaction to the Civil Rights Act of 1875