Reconstruction 360

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Descendants of Reconstruction

Filmed in six states of the former Confederacy, this unique documentary explores the relationship between Reconstruction issues and contemporary African American life. Join a group of Black Southerners and historians as they share the progress and challenges related to family, land, education, community, citizenship and voting since the Reconstruction era. This program is the broadcast partner to the interactive website Reconstruction 360.

View Reconstruction 360 Modules

Reconstruction 360 is a digital educational program that explores Reconstruction history through humanities themes. Each module features 360-degree interactive video and short documentaries, along with lesson plans, primary documents, and curriculum standards.

Forty Acres and a Mule

Step into a working farm in South Carolina in 1865, where an amazing reversal of labor and land ownership has taken place. Freedpeople are working their own farm, producing crops, making money. But then a visitor appears on the horizon, and one of the most painful, lasting chapters in American history is about to unfold.

A Seat At The Table

You are invited to dinner in Savannah in 1868. The mother of a Black family has prepared a special meal to commemorate the new Georgia State Constitution that her husband and pastor have helped to create.

Teaching Ourselves

Welcome to a small school in rural Alabama. Everyone in the community is excited about the new teacher, a recent Normal School graduate who brings spelling books for her students.

Violence and Hatred

Set in Memphis, Tennessee in May 1866, during a terrible event known as the Memphis Massacre, in which at least 46 Black Memphians were murdered by members of a White mob.

The Black Codes

The Civil War is barely over and Southern states have created Black Codes to control formerly enslaved people. A Black man is in jail for refusing to sign a labor contract, a violation of the Black Codes. He and his wife negotiate with the white landowner for better terms.

The First Vote

Join a group of new African American voters at a polling station in Virginia in 1867. Black and white U.S. Army soldiers are serving as poll workers, since the state of Virginia is under federal military rule, and two Confederate Army veterans are not pleased.