Interview with Fergus Bordewich, Klan War

Presidencies of the United States

Year(s) Discussed: 1865-1877

The history of the Reconstruction era has in the past been deliberately misconstrued to downplay the achievements of Black Americans and the inhumanity of self-described white supremacists. In his latest work, Fergus Bordewich dispels the myths and explores the history of how the Grant administration worked to combat the terrorism of the Ku Klux Klan in order to save Reconstruction. Listen in to our conversation about the various individuals involved, the events of this time, and what we can learn from the history of Reconstruction. More information can be found on https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Content Note: There is a brief mention of extreme violence and rape around the 29 minute mark in this episode. Please feel free to skip ahead about a minute if you would prefer not to listen.

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