* Sharecropping and Tenant Farming: Many freedmen became sharecroppers or tenant farmers, working on plantations or farms owned by white landowners. They were often forced to pay high interest rates on loans and supplies, and they were often exploited by their landlords.
* Lack of Education and Opportunity: Most freedmen had little or no education, which limited their opportunities for employment. Many were forced to work in low-paying jobs, such as farming, manual labor, or domestic service.
* Ku Klux Klan: The Ku Klux Klan was a terrorist organization that targeted freedmen and their white allies. The Klan used violence, intimidation, and murder to keep blacks in a subordinate position.
2. The Jim Crow Era
* Segregation: After Reconstruction ended, southern states began to pass laws that segregated blacks and whites in all aspects of public life, including education, transportation, and housing. This system of segregation was known as Jim Crow.
* Disenfranchisement: Southern states also passed laws that made it difficult for blacks to vote. These laws included poll taxes, literacy tests, and all-white primaries.
* Violence and Lynching: Violence against blacks continued to be a major problem in the South after Reconstruction. Lynching was a common form of violence, and it was often used to terrorize blacks and prevent them from exercising their rights.
3. The Civil Rights Movement
* The Montgomery Bus Boycott: The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a major turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. The boycott began in 1955, when Rosa Parks, a black woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. The boycott lasted for over a year, and it led to the desegregation of the Montgomery bus system.
* The March on Washington: The March on Washington was a massive demonstration for civil rights that took place in Washington, D.C., in 1963. The march brought together over 200,000 people, and it helped to raise awareness of the civil rights movement.
* The Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a major victory for the civil rights movement. The act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also gave the federal government the power to enforce civil rights laws.
4. The End of Jim Crow
* Brown v. Board of Education: The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) declared that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. This decision led to the gradual desegregation of public schools in the United States.
* Voting Rights Act of 1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed poll taxes, literacy tests, and other discriminatory practices that prevented blacks from voting. The act also gave the federal government the power to enforce voting rights laws.
* Affirmative Action: Affirmative action is a set of policies that are designed to increase opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups, such as blacks, Hispanics, and women. Affirmative action policies can include things like preferential hiring, set-asides for contracts, and college admissions.
The end of Reconstruction was a difficult time for blacks in the South. They faced many challenges, including economic struggles, segregation, and violence. However, the Civil Rights Movement eventually led to the end of Jim Crow and the establishment of equal rights for blacks.