Civil War Racial Tension

Despite its contradiction, racial tension was an indirect consequence of the abolishment of slavery during the Civil War. The Ku Klux Klan was a direct consequence of this racial tension. The prolific organization had three rebirths throughout its history in the United States, still existing today. It began in 1866 in Pulaski Tennessee, during the era of Reconstruction, following the Civil War. An ex-Confederate officer by the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest founded it as a white supremacist group that focused on brotherhood and the good of their superior race, politically, economically, and socially. They sought to combat reconstruction legislation that hindered the power of the previous confederate states in the south. In doing so, they also …show more content…
World War I was no exception. Depending on one’s interpretation, it can be seen as America’s largest attempt of discovering it. Although America is founded on the concept of being a melting pot for all cultures to thrive in, contradictions line the borders that work to exclude most citizens of the world. Even further, the United States has stripped their own people of their rights to citizenship. In 1917, with the entrance of the United States into World War, American congress passed the Selective Service Act, which enacted forced conscription or draft into the armed services. Specifically outlined, the President had the authorization to demand “That all male persons between the ages of twenty-one and thirty, both inclusive, shall be subject to registration in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the President.” This redefined what it meant to be an American citizen, who could fight for democracy, and who would be pigeonholed into the others category. Those who dodged the draft were seen as cowards and called slackers, and those that were not one-hundred percent American were viewed as enemies. Unlike slackers and undocumented citizens, the African American population perceived the forced conscription act as an opportunity to gain status in American culture and society. There were no legal restrictions on Blacks in terms of joining the armed services, despite efforts made by several congressmen in the south. Racial tension arose due to these political attempts to bar Blacks from signing up for the draft. The south sought to hinder black armament in the war, because it would cause a problem for American unity in the military. However, President Woodrow Wilson needed as much involvement in the War as possible, which Black citizens could provide in large numbers. To appease southern politicians, blacks were allowed to register for the war, but every man at least 25