Mississippi History
Name
Institution
The reconstruction period of 1865 to 1875 saw the number of changes take place in Mississippi in regards to the lives of the African American. Mississippi is one of the states that had the largest number of African American slaves who worked in the large cotton plantation. After Mississippi re-joined the union, there were attempts to make create laws that would ensure that the blacks enjoyed their rights. Such laws include the fifth amendment of 1870 which gave black males the right to vote. Another major law that was enacted was the civil rights Act of 1875 which protected the African American from segregation in public amenities such as transportation and hotels. These developments were important step towards the integration of the former slaves into the mainstream America.
Beside the enactment of laws the reconstruction period resulted in the participation of African Americans in Mississippi politics. The union league efforts saw in an increase of African American presence in enviable local and state elected positions and state militias. Such positions included the lieutenant governor post, secretary of state and superintendent of education. Moreover, blacks got elected into both the House of Representatives and the house of senate. The increase of African representation in elective post was significant as it ensured that the African American input would be heard during implementation of policy that affected the black people.
The last major change that was experienced was in the labour system. After the civil war, there was no land redistribution so the African American was not able to own land. They opted for the sharecropping system where the blacks would lease land from the white land owners and pay in form of percentages of the cotton yields. However, although this system allowed a greater form of worker autonomy compared to the former slave system, it created a room where the African American could further be exploited by the white land owners.