World War I and Race Relations from Reconstruction

            The reconstruction process beginning in 1865 brought on new race relations in America that would change the lives of every American. After the Civil War, newly freed slaves faced many challenges. Whites, especially in the South regarded blacks as inferior more than ever. While blacks were trying to move on and support their families outside the plantation that they were used to, Whites were engineering new ways to keep blacks as second class citizens. Sharecropping, which emerged as the dominant form of working the land, allowed freedom from white supervision and control but curtailed blacks from becoming wealthy and from owning land. Black Codes were supposed to give "persons of color" their freedom in a constitutional form. The real purpose, however, was to restrict the freedom of the black labor force and keep freed people as close to slave status as possible. These codes stated that although persons of color do have some rights such as the right to own land, make contracts, and to sue and be sued, they are not entitled to social or political equality with white persons. The codes were outrageous, actually stating that if a "person of color" makes a contract for service or labor, they shall be known as servants, and those whom with they contract shall be known as masters. These "masters" were given the right to "inflict moderate chastisement and impose reasonable restraint" and to "recapture" his apprentice if he "departs from his service." It also placed many other restrictions on "persons of color." The federal government was outraged from finding out of the mistreatment of formerly freed slaves in respect of the Black Codes. The Republican-dominated Congress concluded that old Confederates were back in power and Black Codes and racial violence caused reason for increased protection of African Americans.
             To protect African Americans, Congress passed two important bills. The first was the landmark Civil Rights Bill. This bill best...

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World War I and Race Relations from Reconstruction. (2000, January 01). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 22:58, March 18, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/94195.html