Eastlake Male Youth Initiative Students Explore the History of Reconstruction

On Saturday, April 10, 2021, Eastlake Male Youth Initiative held its 7th youth leadership session at Music From the Heart in Tyrone, Georgia. Students watched the documentary film, “Reconstruction: America After the Civil War.”

Students explored the history of the Reconstruction era and the ongoing implications for American society today. Students were transported back in history—learning about the Freedmen’s Bureau, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Black Codes—and experienced life in the United States through the eyes of a newly freed slave.

Later, students formed teams, and presented a summary of what they learned and the most notable fact about life for African Americans in the 20 years after Emancipation.