Four Freedoms have been the go to phrase-freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and freedom from want and freedom from fear (Wesley). I think that the Reconstruction Era was an innovative movement in the African American history. World War I but mainly the Reconstruction Era really set the stage for the African American Movement. There was also the Reconstruction Era, which is where it all began. So it follows, the Reconstruction Era to World War I, then last but not least the whole Civil Rights Movement. The Reconstruction Era is a good starting point for African Americans. “Reconstruction- the effort to restore southern states to the Union and to redefine African Americans’ place in American society- began before the Civil War ended” (TAY,
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In this illustration it shows a line of African American men, the first, dressed as a laborer, casting his vote, the second is dressed as a businessman, the third is wearing a Union army uniform, and the fourth appears to be dressed as a farmer (Waud). What is so special is what is to come next was the right to vote for African Americans. Now as a reminder, this is still in the Reconstruction Era, which is the Era 1860-1877. I think that this image is of importance to this cause. The intentions seem to show how eager the now former slaves are to vote. With the fifteenth amendment, it granted African Americans the right to vote and I think it also marked the success of the Civil War. The Reconstruction Era made a small pathway for African Americans to begin their journey. Although real advances were made there were still a lot of obstacles that somewhat prevented African Americans to be where they wanted to be. In the great words of Eric Foner, “In the end, African-American aspirations were largely thwarted by a potent combination of fierce resistance to black autonomy by most white Southerners and their determination to restore a society grounded in white supremacy by whatever means necessary, the widespread belief in the inferiority of black people among Northern whites, prevailing attitudes about work, dependency, and private property, and the lack of political will in the North to support black aspirations at the expense of preserving white privilege and getting on with the business of industrial capitalism” (Foner/ TFOH). For me the Reconstruction Era started the movement for African Americans, but then came World War
In this illustration it shows a line of African American men, the first, dressed as a laborer, casting his vote, the second is dressed as a businessman, the third is wearing a Union army uniform, and the fourth appears to be dressed as a farmer (Waud). What is so special is what is to come next was the right to vote for African Americans. Now as a reminder, this is still in the Reconstruction Era, which is the Era 1860-1877. I think that this image is of importance to this cause. The intentions seem to show how eager the now former slaves are to vote. With the fifteenth amendment, it granted African Americans the right to vote and I think it also marked the success of the Civil War. The Reconstruction Era made a small pathway for African Americans to begin their journey. Although real advances were made there were still a lot of obstacles that somewhat prevented African Americans to be where they wanted to be. In the great words of Eric Foner, “In the end, African-American aspirations were largely thwarted by a potent combination of fierce resistance to black autonomy by most white Southerners and their determination to restore a society grounded in white supremacy by whatever means necessary, the widespread belief in the inferiority of black people among Northern whites, prevailing attitudes about work, dependency, and private property, and the lack of political will in the North to support black aspirations at the expense of preserving white privilege and getting on with the business of industrial capitalism” (Foner/ TFOH). For me the Reconstruction Era started the movement for African Americans, but then came World War