In the Face of Reconstruction, North Carolina Newspapers Shaped Public Opinion through Political and Cultural Misconceptions

This exhibit examines multiple North Carolina newspapers during the first six years of Reconstruction, mainly focused on the three federal Reconstruction Amendments. While North Carolina and other southern states pursued readmission to the Union, racial and economic problems riddled the South. Newspapers actively reported the news that would improve the image of North Carolina.  During Reconstruction, many North Carolinians remained loyal to the Union, but were swayed by the newspapers' misportrayal of federal power, ultimately rendering the reconstruction of the South ineffective.