The Failed Dreams of African-American Soldiers after the Civil War
This research paper examined the racial inequities that African-American Civil War soldiers experienced during the Reconstruction Era. The purpose of this study was to understand what the motivating factors were in perpetuating racist practices that did not allow the soldiers to carve out a living for themselves and their families. To prove this theory I looked at how these soldiers were constant targets of abuse by those looking to take advantage of the ill-prepared soldiers in the new America. It primarily looked at the roadblocks keeping black soldiers from attaining pay that would have financially helped them and their families. Archival research was the methodology used to prove this thesis. By using previously published works by a diverse group of historians such as Eric Foner, Donald R. Shaffer and Kevin R. Hardwick along with newspaper articles (northern and southern) and personal accounts from soldiers, I can present the data from both sides while supporting the thesis.
School:
University of Central Florida
Department:
History
Research Advisor:
James D. Anderson
Department of Research Advisor:
Educational Policy Studies
Year of Publication:
2007