In the shadow of slavery: From the civil war through reconstruction to 1900

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear –  women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were lowered.​

The story of race relations and inclusion in America has a long history. Over three weeks we trace that history from the end of the Civil War through to the presidency of Donald Trump. In this part one - the end of the Civil War and the freeing of millions of slaves through reconstruction and the emergence of the Jim Crow laws