Reconstruction is one of the most important and consequential chapters in American history. It is also among the most overlooked, misunderstood, and misrepresented. Some of our most famous narratives of the period include demeaning stereotypes of black people and skewed versions of events that have been immortalized in films from Birth of a Nation to Gone with the Wind. This series tells the real story of Reconstruction, honoring the struggle of the African Americans who fought their way out of slavery and challenged the nation to live up to the founding ideals of democracy, freedom, and equality. Over a hundred and fifty years later, this struggle continues. Reconstruction aired on April 9 & 16, 2019 on PBS.