Abandoned plantations and the promise of freedom draw former slaves to plant crops and create their own communities. Northern activists like Tunis Campbell arrive to offer help and a vision of black liberty. Emancipation is finally real -- until white planters return to claim their lands.

Forty Acres and a Mule
The Union army grants abandoned land to former slaves.

Slavery is Over
A black nationalist encourages freed slaves to become self-sufficient.

Q&A: Southern Violence During Reconstruction
Historians describe the violent conditions that prevailed in the South.

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