Who were the Redeemers, and what was their objective after Reconstruction?

• A. White Southern Democrats who sought to restore white supremacy.
• B. Northern carpetbaggers who supported Reconstruction.
• C. Black leaders who led Reconstruction governments.
• D. The Radical Republicans in Congress.

Answer: (A)

Redeemers were White Southern Democrats who sought to restore white supremacy by reclaiming political power in the South and undoing the reforms of Reconstruction. As federal troops withdrew and Republican rule weakened, these elites used elections, political maneuvering, and, at times, intimidation to regain control of state governments and roll back gains won by Black citizens during Reconstruction. Their objective was to reestablish “home rule” under white Democratic leadership, dismantle Reconstruction-era legislatures, and recreate the prewar social order with segregation and disenfranchisement. This shift laid the groundwork for Jim Crow laws and decades of limited civil rights for African Americans. The other options don’t fit because Northern carpetbaggers supported Reconstruction, Black leaders led Reconstruction governments, and Radical Republicans in Congress were national reformers pushing Reconstruction policies.