A Comparison Of Reconstruction And African American Reconstruction
When the Civil War ended and the 13th Amendment was passed, former slaves moved to Atlanta in great numbers (Atlanta’s population was 20% black by 1860 and 46% black ten years later). As the war-ravaged southern city of Atlanta was being physically reconstructed, the recently freed African Americans experienced a Reconstruction that was both different and similar to the Reconstruction white people experienced as both groups adjusted to life in a post-slavery era. During Reconstruction, African American women in particular experienced different types of freedom beyond being freed from a condition of slavery: economic freedom, political freedom, the ability to reunite their families, and access to education. However, these newly gained freedoms did not come without opposition; white people fought hard to re-establish a racial hierarchy and limit the independence of African Americans during Reconstruction.
The recently freed slaves …show more content…
Willing to endure obstacles like “food shortages, natural disasters, dilapidated housing, and inadequate clothing,” African Americans moved to the city in order to be protected from harm, join a community of other African Americans, and become economically self-sufficient. Groups like the Freedmen’s Bureau attempted to help African Americans transition into life during Reconstruction by offering assistance in finding labor, food, and housing. While the city was being rebuilt, the economy of Atlanta was being reconstructed simultaneously. The agricultural economy that existed in the South prior to the Civil War ended and “a more diverse urban economy” was created, offering economic opportunities for both African American men and women.
African American women experienced a new type of economic freedom as they moved out the countryside
The recently freed slaves …show more content…
Willing to endure obstacles like “food shortages, natural disasters, dilapidated housing, and inadequate clothing,” African Americans moved to the city in order to be protected from harm, join a community of other African Americans, and become economically self-sufficient. Groups like the Freedmen’s Bureau attempted to help African Americans transition into life during Reconstruction by offering assistance in finding labor, food, and housing. While the city was being rebuilt, the economy of Atlanta was being reconstructed simultaneously. The agricultural economy that existed in the South prior to the Civil War ended and “a more diverse urban economy” was created, offering economic opportunities for both African American men and women.
African American women experienced a new type of economic freedom as they moved out the countryside