Freedom! A Promise Disrupted: North Carolina, 1862–1901 depicts the struggle that newly freed African Americans faced to maintain their freedom in the post-Civil War and Reconstruction eras of North Carolina.

This exhibit allows visitors to step through time and view how the Civil War and Reconstruction affected North Carolina’s citizens. This powerful exhibit highlights African American’s flight to freedom and their involvement in the Civil War. Following the Civil War, Black citizens pushed for Radical Reconstruction, which would guarantee them more rights and protections under the law. This was followed by heavy and violent white backlash. Visitors will be able to follow along with the journey it took for African American citizens to gain equality.

The exhibit combines photographs and artwork.

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