The decades after the civil war saw Black Americans slowly gain more economic and political power in some parts of the country. Some bought land, started businesses and built schools. But in many places where Black Americans succeeded, white Americans sought to destroy that success.
While some of the stories may have been scrubbed from the records and textbooks throughout history, survivors and their descendants are speaking out, shedding light on the violent events that took place in their communities and exposing the lingering social and economic damage caused by some of the worst racial violence in American history.
