Reconstruction

onstruction

Reconstruction

Tommeca L. Boyd

HIS/125

August 24, 2014

Kristopher Daniels

Reconstruction

Columbian historian Eric Foner (1983) quotes W. E. B. DuBois in calling Reconstruction a “splendid failure (p. 16).” After studying the events of the late 19th century, defend whether or not you agree with his position. What are the long-term implications?

In my opinion one of the largest mistakes that were made was the amount of racism that was still present in America after the Reconstruction. To this day there is a very large amount of racism in America. The only difference is it is not just between white and blacks. It has grown to minority fighting against minority. When it comes to the color of our skin for some reason all races and all people just don’t get along. Growing up in South Central LA, I have seen and experienced racism first hand. And it is not pretty the least bit. The problem is now if there is any kind of disagreement between races it is blown way out of proportion. For example the Rodney King beating. This case should have not had half of the publicity it did because Mr. King was in the wrong. He was the one who decided to take the police on a wild goose chase. People rioted because they felt like he was beat because he was black. That just wasn’t the case. But because it was a crime that was white on black crime people took it as a hate crime.

The problem in my opinion was not even white on black it had to do with Rodney King doing something that he knew he should not have been doing. When people get thoughts and ideas in their heads they are going to put their own spin on what they think happened and it will cause things to get out of hand. I believe the Emancipation Proclamation was intended to be the right step in fixing a problem. The problem still existed because even when it comes to law officials there is racism to this day. I have seen police officers that treat people that are not the same race as them...