Randa Abdelfattah

The white lawmakers in Congress soon no longer had an appetite for using the federal government's power to prosecute violence against Black people like they had before.

The advocates just weren't there.

In 1877, Grant's presidency came to an end, and Reconstruction went with him.

The 1876 election was highly contested.

In order to settle the disputes, the federal government promised to pull the military presence from the South.

Once the military was no longer enforcing Reconstruction, Southern Democrats started passing Jim Crow laws.

These laws upheld racial segregation and the disenfranchisement of Black voters.

They made it easier for white violence against Black people to continue.

How would you then characterize the outcome of these trials?

I mean, I ask this question, would you consider it a success or a failure?

If the measure is protecting America,

the Black population and ending the terror and what's effectively a local civil war happening, how successful or not were these trials in helping to change that?

I'm Ramteen Arablui.

And you've been listening to ThruLine from NPR.

The show would not be what it is today without him.

He's an incredible, creative producer.

Some of the best sound design on this show is thanks to him.

And he's just like the coolest guy you'd ever meet.

A kind, generous teammate and friend.

Now, Lawrence is on to new adventures.