May 21, 1881: Blanche K. Bruce Became Register of the Treasury
Blanche K. Bruce became Register of the Treasury, which placed his name on all U.S. currency.
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Theme: Reconstruction
These are resources for teaching about Reconstruction.
July 8, 1876: Hamburg Massacre
During a clear sign of Reconstruction era voter suppression, a Black militia was accused of blocking a road and punished with the Hamburg Massacre.
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July 9, 1868: 14th Amendment Adopted
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted.
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June 21, 1866: Southern Homestead Act
The Southern Homestead Act of 1866 was signed, providing land to the formerly enslaved, lands which had been stolen from the Native American inhabitants.
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How My Students Brought Reconstruction to Life
Article. By Amy Trenkle.
One of the teachers who piloted the Make Reconstruction History Visible project with her students shares the process she used.
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One of the teachers who piloted the Make Reconstruction History Visible project with her students shares the process she used.
Black Power U.S.A.: The Human Side of Reconstruction, 1867-1877
Book — Non-fiction. By Lerone Bennett Jr. 1967. 426 pages.
A bottom-up, student friendly text about the people's history of Reconstruction.
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A bottom-up, student friendly text about the people's history of Reconstruction.
Sept 28, 1874: Battle of Palo Duro Canyon
Encampments of Comanches, Kiowas, Kiowa Apaches, Cheyennes, and Arapahos were attacked by the U.S. military.
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Sept. 28, 1868: Opelousas Massacre
In response to the promotion of voter registration, a KKK-like group massacred hundreds of people, most of whom were African American.
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Dec. 9, 1864: Ebenezer Creek Massacre
People who had escaped from slavery and were following the Union Army, were blocked from crossing the Ebenezer Creek, leading to their death.
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Nov. 3, 1874: White League Attacks Black Voters
Deadly election “riots” took place in Barbour County, Alabama against African American politicians and voters.
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Sept. 4, 1875: Clinton, Mississippi Massacre
Nearly 50 African-Americans were killed by white mobs during the Clinton Riot.
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Dec. 9, 1867: Georgia Constitutional Convention
The Georgia Constitutional Convention was held with 33 African Americans and 137 white attendees.
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Dec. 9, 1872: P. B. S. Pinchback Becomes Governor
P. B. S. Pinchback of Louisiana became the second Black governor in the United States.
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Dec. 18, 1865: Ratification of 13th Amendment
Secretary of State William H. Seward declared the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution to have been adopted.
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Jan. 7, 1868: Mississippi Constitutional Convention
The Mississippi Constitution was one of the first pieces of legislation that provided a uniform system of free public education for children regardless of race.
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Feb. 5, 1866: Thaddeus Stevens Proposes Land Distribution Amendment
Congressman Thaddeus Stevens offered an amendment to the Freedmen's Bureau Bill to authorize the distribution of public land.
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March 3, 1865: Freedmen’s Bureau Established
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was established within the War Department to undertake the relief effort and social reconstruction after the Civil War.
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Jan. 16, 1865: Special Field Order No. 15
Demands by Black ministers after the Ebenezer Creek Massacre led to the short-lived land distribution during Reconstruction known as Special Field Order No. 15.
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Jan. 30, 1884: Couple Reunited During Reconstruction
During the Reconstruction Era, people emancipated from slavery searched for their loved ones throughout the United States and Canada. They often used "last seen" ads. This is one case of successful reunification.
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Feb. 18, 1865: Black Soldiers March into Charleston
The Union Army moved into Charleston, South Carolina, the city where the Civil War had begun four years earlier.
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Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow
Book — Non-fiction. By Henry Louis Gates Jr. with Tonya Bolden. 2019. 240 pages.
Readers trace the rise and fall of racial equity during Reconstruction as increasingly violent white supremacy and new forms of oppression take hold at the turn of the 20th century.
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Readers trace the rise and fall of racial equity during Reconstruction as increasingly violent white supremacy and new forms of oppression take hold at the turn of the 20th century.
Students Secure Marker for Reconstruction Era Lawyer Albion Tourgée
Article. By Richard Dana.
A group of students at Kent State University-Ashtabula helped secure local recognition for Reconstruction era lawyer and writer Albion Tourgee, including a historical marker at his birthplace.
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A group of students at Kent State University-Ashtabula helped secure local recognition for Reconstruction era lawyer and writer Albion Tourgee, including a historical marker at his birthplace.
Reconstruction: The Promise and Betrayal of Democracy
Book — Non-fiction. By Robert B. Moore with Beryle Banfield. 1983. 40 pages.
Critique and analysis of textbook coverage of the Reconstruction era.
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Critique and analysis of textbook coverage of the Reconstruction era.
The 15th Amendment
Teaching materials and guides on the 15th Amendment's significance in 2020 — its 150th anniversary and an election year.
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Teaching Voting Rights in 2020
Though our students' textbooks suggest otherwise, on this 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment the struggle for ballot access is not over.
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