Introduction
The Civil Rights Movement and Reconstruction were the most defining periods in American history. They sought to address one issue: racial injustice in the US. The analysis will focus on how the Civil Rights Movement was a natural continuation of the Reconstruction since it achieved what was not done during the latter. Thus, the critical argument is that the Civil Rights Movement was the conclusion of the Reconstruction era’s unfulfilled objectives due to its failure on the civil rights front.
The Civil Rights Movement: Was It the Final Chapter of Reconstruction?
The Reconstruction Era took place between 1865 and 1877, and it was a period when significant efforts were made to reintegrate Confederate states and improve civil rights for African Americans. Federal efforts such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments emerged – they aimed to establish racial equality (Locke and Wright 406). The movement aimed to end racial segregation and achieve equal rights; thus, it concluded the unfinished business of the Reconstruction era.
Racial discrimination persisted since African Americans faced disenfranchisement and systemic violence despite the legislative efforts, and it was especially true in the Southern regions. The Civil Rights Movement gained momentum nearly a century later and took up the mantle of these unresolved racial tensions. It was mainly unsuccessful; therefore, the Civil Rights Movement was the proper conclusion of the attempt to bring social justice and equality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Civil Rights Movement can be viewed as a direct response to the unresolved issues of the Reconstruction era. As a result, it aimed to cement the rights and protections that the previous era could not secure. In other words, the Civil Rights Movement started primarily because social justice and equality were not successfully provided by the changes initiated by the political leaders; thus, it was up to the civil rights activists to do so.
Work Cited
Locke, Joseph, and Ben Wright, editors. The American Yawp. Stanford University Press, 2022. The American Yawp. Web.