After countless years of being under harsh conditions African American have suffered. During the Reconstruction and Civil Right Movement African Americans were treated both equally and unequally. During the period of the Reconstruction, under the 13th amendment African Americans were technically declared “free”. Even though the African Americans were declared “free”, many things were taken for granted. White rules still played a role in many African Americans lives having separation or segregation from some restaurants and local stores, African Americans were forced to still live an unequal life. On contrary African Americans were given opportunities as well, for instance they were given the chance to live on a piece of their “masters” plantation, but not only live but work and grow crops, pay owners and then share half of all they grow. Which meant by planting three thousand crops of cotton or corn, they would lose about two thousand of the crops because of bad soil or weather. After losing the crops the African American would then have to pay the owner the one thousand left over and unfortunately but truly be left with no crops at the end of the season. During this time under the 15th amendment, black men gained voting rights. Although the southern states unfairly found a way to overrule the law. The 15th amendment states "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." By adding literacy test or test to analyze the mentality of an African American to make sure the African American was smart enough to vote. Being well educated “white folks” they knew the African Americans were not going to be able to pass these test, because they really had no education, they were basically illiterate. Like previously stated during the reconstruction the African Americans had to play by the same rules they have always had to. They were not equal to the white Americans, they were inferior and less worthy in the white mans eyes.
