During the reconstruction era, African Americans were free from slavery, and granted citizenship. However, this was not the end of racism and segregation.The Jim Crow era began and African Americans were treated terribly. They would be beaten up and sent to prison for so much as using the same public accommodations.
The Case of Plessy V Ferguson: Homer Plessy is an octoroon, which means he could often pass as a white man. In the state of Louisiana there are railroad segregation laws and Plessy bought a first class ticket on the white cart. He was beaten up and arrested. This case made segregation legal under the separate but equal doctrine.
While this did hinder the African American population during the Reconstruction Era, there were some things that came to their benefit. One of these is the 14th Amendment. This Amendment to the Constitution granted citizenship and equal rights to all persons born in the United States of America. This provided African Americans with legal protection against being enslaved, or being dehumanized. It forbade states from depriving them of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.
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