The 13th Amendment

For thirty-five years, blacks within the South had enjoyed the free endowed upon them by the 13th Amendment. Now, as the twenty century coming into sight their once found freedom began to change drastically as whites began to fear that the black populace was going to turn on them and dominate a once all white lead society. Racial tensions began to rise once again in the South and black started to see similar acts of violence and terror that they had experience prior to the Civil War. Freedom may have existed within the confounds of the 13th Amendment; however the story was much different for those that were attempting to establish themselves in a white dominated society. Racial Discrimination in the twentieth century was prevalent across

However, the former slave owners would not go down without a fight. “Black Codes “or “Pig Laws” were enforced soon after the passing of the 13th Amendment which placed heavy restrictions on blacks in the South. The term “slavery” was not used but the way in which the black people were still being treated as an equal with white peers. During this same time frame, the government in order to bring to end what had the Southern states had resurrected the U.S. Government enacted four different Civil Rights Acts starting in 1866 and the final one in 1875. These act were an attempt to establish a place for the average black man in a society that had once consider him a second class citizen, but now would give him a chance to participate and do things he never thought possible. This, however, would be short lived, the freedoms that many blacks enjoyed the thirty-five years of the Civil War would come crashing down around them at the turn of the

Pomerantz states, the mob set off in a new direction. By nine o 'clock, frenzied whites near Decatur Street shouted, "Save our women!" "Kill the N-----!" Wild rumors of an impending black uprising spread across the city. In black communities, horrifying tales were told of widespread lynching. Mayor James Woodward tried to calm the whites: "The honor of Atlanta before the world is in your hands tonight." However, he and James English, head of the police commission, were met with cries of "N----- lover!" Atlanta was ready to ignite and even the Major and the chief of police had no way of stopping this mob rule. Rumors had spread throughout the town that black assailants in the community raped twelve white women. This news of course angered the citizens of Atlanta and they demanded justice of those that had committed these heinous crimes. The problem did not just stem from this wave crime, but from the racial discrimination that many of the citizens had against the blacks in town that had started become influential in