During the reconstruction of the United States, there were many issues raised regardingAfrican Americans. The struggle for the development of African Americans tochange their conditions of living and future, wasreal. The development was just not for African Americans but it was going toadd up to the United States good future. During the time of reconstruction,African American were referred as inferiors and White Americans as superiors. Therewas inequality in many sections, and one of them was in politics.
The lack ofvoter’s right brought unequal balance in the politics which made it improper tothe community. Many of the African Americans people took leadership/initiativeto change the lifestyle of African Americans. Many of the leaders fought for AfricanAmerican’s rights and have given them some sort of freedom and right to dothings.One of the leaders fought for AfricanAmericans right, Jefferson Franklin Long was born as a slave in Alabama in1836. He opened his business to the tailor and that helped him to get intopolitics- Republican Party. Long was “elected as Georgia’s first blackcongressman in 1870” (Book, CH 14, Page 448) and he fought for the politicalrights of freed slaves. Most of his life, he spent on improving his life andthe lives of the same race as his. He fought for the right of self-determinationfor African Americans.
There were five states which had the majorityof black African voters; such as Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana andSouth Carolina while in some other states the majority of African Americanvotes fell such as North Carolina, Virginia, etc. South Carolina was only thestates where African Americans had control over the state legislature. But itwas sad that in none of the other states they accomplished to get theirgovernor elected. “For the first time in American history, blacks won a widevariety of elected positions”(Book, CH 14, page 465).
From this quotes, itseemed that it was a proudful moment for African Americans. Also, it was a big achievementfor them to get elected in different positions as it was really hard for them,even though they had freedom. It was surprising that many of the AfricanAmericans got different positions in the politics: in the state legislatures-more than six hundred blacks served, two from Mississippi got to choose toserve on the US Senate and sixteen got seats in the US House of Representativesand one of the seats was Jefferson Long who fought for the political rights offreed slaves. Africans Americans were considered as a responsible political communityand in addition to all this, they held some meetings to discuss the issues andchoose their candidates. Although they were not allowed to vote, women attendedthe gathering and that helped influence their outcome.In the south, they established theirfirst public school system which provided funds for social services, such aspoor relief and state hospitals.
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In addition, the state constitutions writtenby the Republicans brought equality to the south and political democracy bygiving the suffrage to not only poor white men but also to the black men. Thishad a very positive change that in some states of the south married women gotmore control over the properties.African Americans eventually startedtaking part in the Reconstruction legislature and started introducing bills thatlater became laws (Branam, Chris W). They made some proposals and pointof order that were as likely to the whites. Their legislators were interestedin civil rights, education to law and order and economic development. But thesystem that was replacing slavery over labor and land occupation were under construction.
The state Arkansas’s were becoming new with all the other changes; such as transportationin education and the public schools has barely developed.In the document 14.5 of MississippiBlack Code, 1865, section 6 talks about the laws of the state. “The same dutiesand liabilities existing among white persons of this State shall attach tofreedmen, free negroes or mulattoes.
” (Launchpad 14.5) This quote states that allthe freedmen, free negroes er mulattoes got same duties and liabilities rightsas the white men. This shows that the situation of African Americans got bettergradually though in some parts and some White Americans were against it and wasstill treating them as slaves and wasn’t giving respect. Enough though therewere many problems accepting the freedom of African Americans and giving themequal opportunity, it is great that they started getting the same kind of rightat a government level.
This has helped them during the reconstruction and morein the long run.In conclusion, there were manyleaders who fought for American American to get into politics. As days wentsome of the African Americans became the part of government/political parties.Though there were laws that were giving them equal opportunities, white Americansstill were against it.
But the at least they got the positions in the politicswhich helped them in short and as well as in the long run. The politicalsituation was not so good during reconstruction but it was not so bad either.African Americans got some positions in the political parties. That helped themto raise and bring their value up, take parts in things and getting equalopportunities as a normal human being.
