The Reconstruction period following the Civil War saw turmoil and division play out across the country. Bitterly divided on how to proceed in the post-war landscape, politicians and the public fiercely argued about key issues surrounding freedom, race, and constitutional rights. Landmark civil rights legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment, was with met intense resistance by many in order to maintain the status quo, leaving millions of free African Americans struggling to understand their place and rights within society. This necessary volume tracks the struggles of Reconstruction and provides a critical perspective on the bitter legacies of this era.