This phrase was plastered all over sweaters, mugs, and pencils: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” I never really thought about these words in depth until I was older and started learning about all the social injustices in the world, primarily towards African Americans, women, and the LGBT community. Before the Civil War, African Americans had no rights, to say they were treated unfairly would be an understatement. During Reconstruction, presidents attempted to abolish slavery, but sharecropping, black codes, and voter restrictions virtually nullified every law passed. Post-Reconstruction era