Reconstruction was the period following the Civil War in which the federal government reckoned with the aftermath of slavery and worked to reintegrate the former confederate states into the Union. During this period from 1865 to 1877, abolitionists, formerly enslaved people, women, and immigrants grappled with what it would mean for the United States to becomes a truly free and equal society.

During Reconstruction, Congress passed the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, established birthright citizenship, and guaranteed due process, equal protection under the law, and equal voting rights without regard to color.

For the first time, the federal courts began to enforce the Bill of Rights against state and local governments. Across the country, state constitutions were rewritten to recognize new rights like the right to public education.

Because of these sweeping transformations, some scholars refer to Reconstruction as the nation’s Second Founding.

As we continue the struggle for justice and equality for all people, Reconstruction remains a powerful resource and source of inspiration.

The Civil Rights Movement built on the 14th and 15th Amendments to pass the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in the 1960s. The women’s suffrage movement was directly inspired by the struggle for abolition (and many veterans of the abolition movement participated in that struggle). And birthright citizenship made it possible for the U.S. to become a diverse nation of immigrants.

Reconstruction’s legacy continues to echo in many of today’s most important legal debates, from immigrants rights, and criminal legal reform, to reproductive justice.

History cannot give us all the answers about how we approach modern problems. But it can be a powerful source of wisdom, inspiration and grounding. The history of Reconstruction teaches us that, despite the heavy odds against them, our ancestors have overcome oppression, spoken truth to power, and won real change.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has ignored the lessons of Reconstruction, resulting in rulings limiting the rights of minorities, women and working people. Major examples include rulings ending the right to an abortion, outlawing affirmative action, and gutting the Voting Rights Act. 

By correcting the record, we can reclaim the Constitution and defend our rights.

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