Foner's Reconstruction and the Black American Experience

Introduction

Despite 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 far more frequently be described according to white experiences in the succeeding years. Eric Foner's 2002 text Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877 was designed to contribute to a growing effort at redressing this oversight. As his thesis, the author asserts that his goal is to provide "a coherent, comprehensive modern account of Reconstruction. This effort necessarily touches on a multitude of issues, but certain broad themes unify the narrative. The first is the centrality of the Black 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)

The methodology Foner employs is to approach the subject of Reconstruction both anecdotally and historiographically. The author devotes equal attention to providing memorable narratives about the period in question and to exploring the varying perspectives taken by different historians on the era. In order to accomplish this, he draws a great deal of material from the historian's canon on the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, as well as from primary documents of the same era.

Summary of Foner's Argument and Methodology

The main component of Foner's argument is the assertion that the Reconstruction period must be assessed equally according to the perspectives of both white and Black America if it is to be fully understood. Part of making this case also involves demonstrating the developing tradition of overlooking or diminishing African American contributions during this postwar period.

The fact that the text was written and published in 2002 is significant because it offers the author an opportunity to contribute to what is still an evolving discourse on race in America. As Foner notes in his foreword, the century that followed the Civil War produced a racially clouded conception of the roles of Black and white Americans during Reconstruction. This text, however, comes on the heels of decades of uncovering new evidence and shifting scholarly views.

Context and the Author's Credentials

Foner's own credentials are built on contributing to this discussion. This is demonstrated by his 1987 article "Rights and the Constitution in Black Life during the Civil War and Reconstruction," which presents many of the core ideas that would resurface in his full-length text. According to that article, there is now increased appreciation for the role that former slaves played in helping to hasten the end of the war. Foner observes that "it is now widely accepted that the actions of thousands of slaves who in the first years of the war abandoned their masters and headed for the Union lines helped undermine the South's peculiar institution and accelerated the Lincoln administration's progress toward emancipation." (Foner, 1987, p. 864)

In addition to establishing the author's credentials, this assertion sets the trajectory of Foner's later writing in helping to restore the place of Black Americans within the broader historical discourse.

Conclusion

I personally found the text compelling as a point of introduction into Reconstruction. Its exhaustiveness and its ethical balance make it one of the more conscientious narratives I have encountered on the Reconstruction Era. For this reason, I would recommend it to those looking to learn about this period and to those seeking a new perspective on a subject with which they are already familiar.