The failure of Reconstruction refers to the period after the Civil War when the federal government's efforts to rebuild and reunite the country ultimately fell short in achieving long-term racial equality and political stability.
Related terms
Jim Crow Laws: Racial segregation laws that enforced discrimination against African Americans in public facilities, schools, transportation, and more.
Black Codes: Laws enacted by Southern states after the Civil War that restricted the rights and freedoms of African Americans, essentially creating a new form of slavery.
Plessy v. Ferguson: A Supreme Court case that established the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing for legalized segregation based on race.