The Reconstruction era denotes a time frame from 1863 to 1877 in American history. The term has two meanings: one refers to the overall historical narrative of the nation from 1865 to 1877 after the American Civil War; the other pertains to the attempt to transform the 11 former Confederate states from 1863 to 1877, as legislated by Congress. Reconstruction brought an end to the remaining elements of Confederate nationalism and abolished slavery, granting newly freed slaves citizenship with civil rights ostensibly ensured by three new Constitutional amendments. Throughout Reconstruction, three perspectives emerged regarding Civil War memory: the reconciliationist perspective, focused on coping with the war’s devastation; the white supremacist perspective, characterized by violence and intimidation; and the emancipationist perspective, advocating for full freedom, citizenship, and constitutional equality for African Americans.
