Date of Award
1995
Document Type
Thesis: Open Access
Degree Name
MA History
Department
History
Committee Chair
James Gump Ph.D., Chair
Committee Member
Elizabeth Cobbs Ph.D.
Abstract
As the nineteenth century drew to a close, most Americans expressed optimism for the future. In the decades following the Civil War, the United States emerged as a burgeoning industrial nation, a nation filled with opportunity and promise. However, not all Americans shared this optimism. For African-Americans, the future would be remarkably similar to the past. From 1865-1877, AfricanAmericans enjoyed a new status in society. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the constitution conferred a measure of legal equality upon blacks, raising hopes of eventual social inclusion in American society. These hopes vanished in the wake of a new spirit of compromise and reconciliation between North and South, exemplified by the Compromise of 1877. Instead of inclusion, African-Americans encountered growing marginalization and hostility, constitutional rights notwithstanding. Faced with limited political, economic, and social prospects in a bi-racial society, a number of blacks migrated to allblack towns, where they found a supportive, nurturing environment in which to pursue their piece of the American dream.
Copyright
Copyright held by the author
Digital USD Citation
Burton, Myra Frances, "Creating a Favorable Sentiment: Allensworth, California" (1995). Theses. 82.
https://digital.sandiego.edu/theses/82