How & why did S. whites limit black civil rights & liberties during reconstruction?

Keano

Rookie
Feb 26, 2014
6
1
1
Hi folks, I'm currently researching for a college assignment and would appreciate any input on the following...

How and why did southern whites seek to limit African-American civil rights and liberties in the Reconstruction era?

thanks
 
You should rephrase the period of limitation to after reconstruction.

During the Reconstruction, southern white conservatives fought to restore and maintain and continue a White Man's Civilization that monopolized the social and political and economic levers. This control was enforced by Jim Crow laws and quasi-judicial approval of supposed vigilante violence.
 
The Black Codes established by South Carolina and Mississippi after the Civil War and during Reconstruction.
They essentially indicated Freedmen were not slaves, but put work requirements on the ex-slaves enforced through vagrancy laws.

For orphaned or destitute young ex-slaves ... An apprenticeship was required.
They could be punished, and recaptured if they escaped, but were paid for their services and provided with an education and a marketable skill.
This was required until the age of 21 for men ... And 18 for women.

Blacks were not allowed to testify as witnesses in court unless the matter was of color (plaintiff or defendant) in regards to the property or person in question.
Criminal punishment for Freedmen was far more severe than for white offenders ... And included practices like "hiring out" where a labor contract was the punishment for a minor crime.

Blacks could not own firearms ... Nor make, distribute or sell liquor.
They were required to post a "good behavior" bond when entering a state or county where they did not reside.
They could not sell farm equipment or household goods without written permission from a white man.
If they held any other occupation that farmer or servant ... They had to receive an annual license from a judge to hold that occupation.

The Jim Crow Laws and Era did not occur until after Reconstruction ... But the Black Codes were passed in 1865.

.
 
You should rephrase the period of limitation to after reconstruction.

During the Reconstruction, southern white conservatives fought to restore and maintain and continue a White Man's Civilization that monopolized the social and political and economic levers. This control was enforced by Jim Crow laws and quasi-judicial approval of supposed vigilante violence.

Thanks, Jake.

Unfortunately, it's wasn't up to me when the period of limitation begins or ends.

The exact essay title, as shown above, was given by the lecturer.
 
So its history, a sad state of affairs, so when are you going to recognize the lessons learned and move into the present?
 
The Black Codes established by South Carolina and Mississippi after the Civil War and during Reconstruction.
They essentially indicated Freedmen were not slaves, but put work requirements on the ex-slaves enforced through vagrancy laws.

For orphaned or destitute young ex-slaves ... An apprenticeship was required.
They could be punished, and recaptured if they escaped, but were paid for their services and provided with an education and a marketable skill.
This was required until the age of 21 for men ... And 18 for women.

Blacks were not allowed to testify as witnesses in court unless the matter was of color (plaintiff or defendant) in regards to the property or person in question.
Criminal punishment for Freedmen was far more severe than for white offenders ... And included practices like "hiring out" where a labor contract was the punishment for a minor crime.

Blacks could not own firearms ... Nor make, distribute or sell liquor.
They were required to post a "good behavior" bond when entering a state or county where they did not reside.
They could not sell farm equipment or household goods without written permission from a white man.
If they held any other occupation that farmer or servant ... They had to receive an annual license from a judge to hold that occupation.

The Jim Crow Laws and Era did not occur until after Reconstruction ... But the Black Codes were passed in 1865.

.


Nice work, BS.

I had already considered 'the Black Codes' to be one of my main points.

Other points I'm considering are:

The rise of the KKK and the subsequent intimidation of blacks from exercising their voting rights.

Andrew Johnson, who was a southern white in the white house, and his less than progressive attitude towards blacks and black civil rights during the 'presidential reconstruction' period.

Must read more.

Currently reading Foner's 'A Brief history of Reconstruction'.
 
Hi folks, I'm currently researching for a college assignment and would appreciate any input on the following...

How and why did southern whites seek to limit African-American civil rights and liberties in the Reconstruction era?

thanks

Because that is what democrats do

tapatalk post
 
You should rephrase the period of limitation to after reconstruction.

During the Reconstruction, southern white conservatives fought to restore and maintain and continue a White Man's Civilization that monopolized the social and political and economic levers. This control was enforced by Jim Crow laws and quasi-judicial approval of supposed vigilante violence.

Thanks, Jake.

Unfortunately, it's wasn't up to me when the period of limitation begins or ends.

The exact essay title, as shown above, was given by the lecturer.

Then follow Black Sand's guide: quite accurate.
 
Nice work, BS.

I had already considered 'the Black Codes' to be one of my main points.

Other points I'm considering are:

The rise of the KKK and the subsequent intimidation of blacks from exercising their voting rights.

Andrew Johnson, who was a southern white in the white house, and his less than progressive attitude towards blacks and black civil rights during the 'presidential reconstruction' period.

Must read more.

Currently reading Foner's 'A Brief history of Reconstruction'.

Well you have to remember that there is more than one view of the South after the Civil War and during the Reconstruction Era.
I mean P.B.S Pinchback was the first black American elected as a US State Governor for Louisiana in 1872.
He was also elected to both houses of the US Congress although neither allowed him to take his elected seat.

There were certainly movements within the South .. Or anywhere for that matter ... That curtailed the rights of blacks during the Reconstruction Era.
When discussing the origins of the Black Codes ... You will find they were driven and agreed to out of fear of what would happen when Blacks who had not signed labor contracts found out "40 acres and a mule" was bullshit.

It is easy to hang your hat on the object of interest the professor wants you to respond with ... But how much do you really want to know?

.
 
The Why is simple: to keep blacks down. How is a little more convoluted, but basically there were a series of court cases that reached the Supreme Court in 1873 called the Slaughterhouse Cases involving local and state regulation of some slaughterhouses in and around New Orleans and some suits on the basis of Due Process and the Privileges and Immunities Clause. The court held that the 14th Amendment only applied to the Federal Government which had the unintended legal effect of allowing the states to pretty much do anything it wanted to its citizens, provided it uses due process.
 

Forum List

Back
Top