Reconstruction and Black America According to Foner
In spite of the fact that African-Americans were largely at the center of the ideals in conflict during the Civil War, history would largely overlook their experiences in the aftermath of this sustained and bloody conflict. The era known as Reconstruction would be far more frequently described according to White experiences in the succeeding years. Eric Foner's 2002 text Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877, would be designed to contribute to an increased effort at redressing this oversight. As a thesis statement, the author asserts that his goal is to provide "a coherent, comprehensive modern account of Reconstruction. This effort necessarily touches on a mulititude of issues, but certain broad themes unify the narrative. The first is the centrality of the balck experience. Rather than passive victims of the actions of others or simply a 'problem' confronting white society, blacks were active agents in the making of Reconstruction." (Foner 2002; p. xxii)
SUMMARY:
The methodology is to approach the subject of Reconstruction both anecdotally and historiographically. The author extends equal time to providing memorable narratives on the period in question and to exploring the varying perspectives taken by different...
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