Winter 2012 Topic (Jan 16th to February 27th)
“Reconstruction: The Struggle for the Soul of the South”– Given that we’ve had recent topics related to Civil War history and plantation life, it makes sense to find out more about how Southerners adjusted to dramatic social and political change after the Civil War. You might actually call this the civil war after the Civil War, because many forms of conflict (including violent conflict) continued.
In the end, the redemptionist Democrats (many of the same folks empowered during the ante-bellum period) found a way to restore the South they treasured. They felt they had liberated it from victimization by carpetbaggers and scalawags who were only out to make a buck. (Many modern historians dispute that characterization of northern transplants and Southern unionists, though corruption did exist under Reconstruction governments.) But in the process, the hopes of many African Americans were dashed, as violence against them increased, economic and political opportunities shrank, and the rule of old Jim Crow began.
One of the basic goals we’ll have in sight is to determine just what we think the truth is about Reconstruction. We’ll try to get into the mindsets of the various groups contending for power and figure out what truly motivated them. Were the goals of Reconstruction better than the execution? Could it have been done differently? More successfully? If so, how?
I am not going to try to establish a strict calendar for our readings, even though most of you chose to read the Foner book. Please just try to have about 1/3 of what you want to read done by Jan 30th (our first meeting) and an additional 1/3 by each of the next two meetings. Remember, that you don’t have to read every word. Skimming and skipping is permitted (although it is possible to skip too much.)
Unless the group objects, we will dispense with on-line posting this time. Only two members have taken advantage of the forums to any great extent, so far. We will discuss this at our first meeting, in case some of you enjoy reading the posts.
Week of January 16th–Reading begins
Monday, January 30th–Inaugural meeting, 2 to 3 pm, Heritage Research Center.
Monday, February 13th–Midpoint meeting, 2 to 3 pm, Heritage Research Center.
Monday, February 27th– Wrap meeting, 2 to 3 pm, Heritage Research Center.