Many people imagine greatness and a future of prosperity, but others lack imagination and inspiration, forcing them to protect from many opportunities. An individual with an imagination is an individual with a dream. As Harriet Tubman once said: “I had thought it over in my mind: There was one of two things to which I was entitled: liberty or death; If I couldn't have one, I would have the other. Whether it was freedom or death, she was determined to fight for what she believed in; even though the imagination was limited, it didn't stop her as she imagined a life filled with freedom and freedom. This is what many African Americans felt in their quest to fight for equal rights in the late 1870s and early 1970s. Throughout history, African Americans have led many efforts to integrate into white society and gain civil rights and equality. Black equality began after the Civil War during the Reconstruction period. The Reconstruction Era is when the struggle for civil rights began and has continued throughout history. The Civil War was a war fought between 1861 and 1865. The war marked the end of slavery for African Americans. The Union, made up of northern states supportive of the abolition of slavery, fought against the Confederate army, made up of southern states supportive of slavery. The Civil War originated the idea of ​​civil rights, but the Reconstruction era was when civil rights for African Americans came into action. The Reconstruction Era was the rebuilding of the South, but also the beginning of the civil rights movement. Much of Reconstruction dealt with the views of Lincoln and Johnson against Radical Republicans and Congress. Lincoln believed the Civil War was just a conflict...... middle of paper ...... worth changing their election procedures and authorized the United States Attorney General to send federal examiners to register black voters when he concluded that local registries were not doing their job (Earle 2000, 123). Through this law, African Americans gained the right to vote and began to become more integrated into the white population. One step at a time, African Americans slowly began to achieve equality and enjoy their rights as citizens. Without equality and civil rights, Americans would not have the lives of freedom they enjoy today. The civil rights agenda of African Americans may not have worked out accordingly or exactly as they wanted, but in response to their determination and efforts to push for civil rights, an American n 'is no longer determined by race, color or creed, but he is a citizen of the United States of America and an equal.