Post-Reconstruction era policy

Definition

The post-Reconstruction era policy refers to the period after the Reconstruction era in American history, which lasted from 1877 to the late 19th century. During this time, policies were implemented that aimed to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans and solidify white supremacy.

Related terms

Jim Crow laws: These were state and local laws enacted in Southern states during this era that enforced racial segregation and denied African Americans their civil rights.

Plessy v. Ferguson: This Supreme Court case in 1896 established the "separate but equal" doctrine, which legalized racial segregation as long as facilities for African Americans were supposedly equal to those for whites.

Sharecropping: A system of agriculture used mainly by former slaves during this time, where they would work on land owned by white landowners in exchange for a share of crops produced. This system often resulted in debt and continued economic oppression for African Americans.