African Americans In Post-Civil War

In post-Civil War South racism was the primal factor that made most African Americans unable to own land or run their own businesses. This racism led to other factors which prevented African Americans from obtaining their own land or business. Opportunities came few and far between and even when one presented itself it did not enable African Americans to become successful. A quote from Mandle states, “The limited success in gaining access to land in the plantation belt was obviously the consequence of both discriminatory practices in the sale of land and the inability of blacks to raise the funds necessary to purchase valuable black property.”
The Southern Homestead Act specifically sought to provide land for African Americans. However the

land that was made available was of poor quality and could not be farmed productively without “heavy capital expenditures”. Very few African Americans applied for the land due to its poor quality. Those who obtained the land could not cultivate success with what they were given. Inequitable opportunities made it significantly harder for African Americans to prosper.
Nonagricultural jobs slowly emerged in the south but racism prevented African Americans becoming employed within that field. As a result most were forced to seek employment on a farm or plantation. Within these jobs African Americans held little power or control. Working in the fields but not being able to make their own economic decisions African Americans did not learn the skills needed to run nevertheless own their own business. They were often cheated out of money and were at the mercy of their employer. African Americans were stuck in an endless cycle of seeking out opportunities but never being able to produce enough money.
Success for African Americans was unattainable in the society of the south and all leads back to the profound racism targeted towards them. Mandle asserts, “… the acceptance of deferential patterns of behavior was the necessary condition for southern blacks to achieve status of landowner.” Conforming to the racism and discrimination towards them African Americans learned that it was a chance for them to be rewarded favorably specifically with land. W.T. Couch states, “often the purchase will have been made at the suggestion of a white man who wishes to do a favor to a Negro whom he likes.”