The Civil War: Racism In The United States

As slavery finally reached its ‘end’ in 1862 with Abraham Lincoln’s words of the Emancipation Proclamation, “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves…henceforward shall be free”, the same racial segregation persisted throughout America. Many things remained the same during the Civil War and post, specifically racism, in comparison to before the war.However it was a new era for Blacks as they did gain new rights and roleswith their limited freedom. This was the inevitable destiny that African Americans experienced in the United States since the 1600s.
First and foremost, the Civil War was the African American's path to freedom. This was possible by displaying their potential that was hidden under the racist mindset. However, that
Racism still manifested in the hearts of white Americans, because laws change rules not people's beliefs and morals. The new freed African Americans were still surrounded by the same hostile whites. This caused the ex-slaves to still stick with each other in tight knit groups.The North, despite being all for the emancipation of slaves,showed to be unsatisfied with the fact they now had other people besides the German and Irish immigrants that they had to hand over their jobs to. A tax was put onto those who tried to pursue in non-agricultural jobs. However some in the North saw a great, positive change in society. The New York Times stated in March 7, 1864 that, "Eight months ago the African race in this City were literally hunted down like wild beasts. How astonishingly has all this changed The same [African American] men...now march with shouldered muskets...through our gayest avenues...and are everywhere saluted with waving handkerchiefs...Such developments are infallible tokens of a new epoch." Others became empathetic for a short while as displayed in a cartoon by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly of 1865. It displayed Lady Liberty asking for equality for the Black veterans of the war. She is pointing at a Black man who was considered not fit for democracy despite being injured in uniform while fighting for the country. On the other hand, the South felt embarrassed that they lost and didn't welcome their ex-slaves that they have to face outside of the plantation. These lower states instituted laws known as "Black Codes", making it illegal for black people to serve juries against whites, serve in the state militia, and in a way force them involuntarily back into doing labor through contracts. They wanted to restrict their freedom to the greatest extent that they