Black history from the earliest struggles for allowing free states to enter the union to Reconstruction and white resistance, with profiles of such figures as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Booker T. Washington.

Briefly examines slavery in the South before and during the Civil War; then appraises the social and political situation during the years following the conflict, describing Lincoln's plans, Johnson's policies, Grant's administration, and Hayes' election.

Traces the history of the Reconstruction period following the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, following the efforts of the Republican party leadership to bring the South back into the Union and to give former slaves their civil rights.

An account of African-American life in the period of Reconstruction following the Civil War, based on first-person narratives, contemporary documents, and other historical sources.

Discusses the Civil War and Reconstruction and their effects on the nation and on black Americans in particular.