The U.S. Postbellum Era: Cotton and The Railway

The postbellum and Reconstruction eras in the United States reflect a time when the country began to reckon with the unjust treatment of millions of enslaved African Americans and develop a strategic plan to rebuild a country torn apart by a bloody Civil War. Many economic sectors of the country were impacted by the financial burdens of war, the disruption of social and political orders, and the loss of human life on battlefields, but the charge was given to the states to reconcile and rebuild the country torn apart by the institution of slavery and its potential expansion into western states. Two industries discussed in this post are agriculture, cotton production, and transportation, the railroad industry. Enslaved African Americans contributed to the production of cotton in the south which was transported via railway to the north to be shipped from ports in New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania to Great Britian. The history of both industries can only be told with the recognition of the contributions of slave labor and the primary role enslaved and free African Americans have had on the history and development of the United States.

We may consider a few questions when discussing African American labor and industry in the United States. If African Americans, both free and enslaved, did not make significant contributions through their labor, at what rate would the country have developed beginning in the early 17^th century? During the postbellum era, how did the U.S. economy begin to recover post-Civil War? What role did political corruption and corporate mismanagement play in the setback in the transportation industry, specifically the railway? Without the labor of African Americans, where would America be today?

The enslavement of African Americans and those of African descent throughout the Caribbean, South America and North America had a tremendous impact on the global economy between the 17^th – 19^th century. In southern states, cotton was a major crop bringing in approximately $200 million dollars in 1860, in today’s market, $8 billion.

The economic growth of cotton declined during the Civil War due to the decrease of the labor force of the enslaved, particularly in the southern region of the country. The conflict between the North and South over the abolition of slavery and the war caused a dramatic decrease in cotton production, however in 1866 we begin to see an increase in production. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 along with other industrial methods were major factors in the increase of production. This data indicates that cotton production was on a rise between 1840 – 1860, dropped drastically during the Civil War but increased steadily between 1865 – 1900. (See chart)

This narrative examines and analyzes the data pertinent to the business or industry to craft a history that reflects economic and production trends within the business. A story begins to unfold when we examine quantitative data of an industry and the impact it has on the economic global market and how the narrative demonstrates the dynamic between industry and the workforce. African Americans who, before the Civil War, produced a great deal of wealth for the U.S. began to experience horrific racial discrimination during Reconstruction leading to unjust practices in employment, an increase in incarceration rates, and poverty in the south. The first wave of the Great Migration began in 1910, forcing blacks to leave the south and head north for greater opportunities in education, housing, and the job market.

During the postbellum period in the south, transportation was vital to the infrastructure of the country to carry goods state-to-state via railroad. In addition to cotton production, African Americans, free and enslaved, worked tirelessly to build the country’s railroad system, uniting the agriculture and industrial sectors through their resilient labor. The construction of the Blue Ridge Railroad running through South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee faced insurmountable financial setbacks due to state government corruption and financial fraud. While the railroad promised economic growth, it was plagued by corrupt legislators and company financial mismanagement. 

•       1868: The Blue Ridge Ring was formed

•       1870: $200,000 received from the state financial board and $1,000,000 from Charleston

•       1872: Blue Ridge Railroad received $1,990,000 in bond scrip

•       $6,514, 000 from the state of South Carolina

•       $4,000,000 in state bonds

•       Several lawmakers were paid to pass bills through the South Carolina state legislature

•       By the end of 1872, the company had a debt of $16,000,000 due to fraud and illegal financial practices

•       1874: Blue Ridge Rail Road filed for bankruptcy

While the historical narrative of the Blue Ridge Ring does not reflect financial growth between 1865 - 1900, it does highlight a historical account of a sector of the postbellum economy that had an impact on the history of the U.S railway system.

In conclusion, the history of our country’s postbellum era was a time of continued political division, heightened racial discrimination, social unrest, and corporate corruption. Despite these difficulties, the young nation strived to flourish and unite as we ushered in the Glided Age of the late 19^th century with hope and promise.  

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