Kaia—
You've highlighted the significance of the Reconstruction Era and its impact on future civil rights movements really well. It's fascinating to see how the efforts made during that time, despite facing tremendous opposition, laid the foundation for the progress we've seen in the 20th and 21st centuries. The persistent activism you mentioned was indeed crucial. Without the relentless push from activists, both African American and white, the progress made during Reconstruction might have been even more limited. They not only advocated for the enforcement of the new Amendments but also worked to create organizations and networks that would continue to fight for civil rights long after Reconstruction ended. It's also interesting to consider how the legal groundwork established by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments influenced later civil rights legislation. For example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were built upon the principles enshrined in these Amendments.