Reconstruction Era | The Bloody Chasm | 4

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 21 June 2023

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1870, the ratification of the 15th Amendment enshrined Black men’s right to vote in the Constitution. Senator Hiram Revels became the first Black man to serve in Congress. Across the South, Black men were elected to office in unprecedented numbers.

But soon, the Ku Klux Klan moved to undermine Black political rights with a violent campaign of fear and intimidation. Black militias formed, and took up arms to defend their communities from Klan terrorism. But in Washington, a split in the Republican party would soon jeopardize the fate of Reconstruction.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:07.8	A listener note, this episode contains graphic descriptions of racial violence and may not
0:12.4	be suitable for everyone.
0:16.6	Imagine its March 1869 and you're in a wooden schoolhouse in Abbeyville, South Carolina.
0:31.6	You're a member of the Republican Party and a local constable and you've been tasked
0:35.3	with raising a regiment for a brand new state militia the governor has organized to protect
0:39.4	the citizens from Ku Klux Klan violence.
0:42.3	The schoolhouse is filled with two dozen black men of all ages here to enlist in the fight
0:46.9	against the Klan.
0:48.4	You're standing behind a table at the back of the room and the men have formed a neat
0:51.9	line ready to put their names down.
0:54.7	You write down the name of a young bricklayer and then shake his hand.
0:58.4	Make sure you tell everyone you know.
1:00.5	We need all able-bodied men to join us.
1:03.2	The bricklayer gives you a short nod.
1:05.3	I served in the war and I want back down from a fight.
1:09.1	I know other men feel the same.
1:11.5	A white man bursts into the room.
1:14.0	You recognize him as a planter who owns a large plantation down the road.
1:18.2	He walks towards you, his face burning with anger.
1:21.2	What's the meaning of all this?
	...

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