American Betrayal and the Hayes-Tilden Compromise of 1877 (Episode #22, 17 Jan. 2021)

One of saddest moments of American History is the Hayes-Tilden Compromise of 1877.  In that Compromise, Southern Democrats agreed to accept Rutherford Hayes as President in exchange for Republicans agreeing to withdraw troops from the South.  US Grant historian, Jean Edward Smith described the Compromise this way: "The rights of African Americans were sacrificed at the altar of national reconciliation."  We are still reaping the bitter fruit from that backroom deal.  In this Episode, I explore the events leading up to that Compromise, why it happened, and why we still feel its effects even today.  I also discuss some possible solutions to finally address the failures of Reconstruction: reparations and reconciliation.