Answer:
Voter suppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the reconstruction Era, African Americans who just obtained their status as free citizens couldn't participate in choosing government representatives that want to pass the legislations that would benefit them.
This happened because many of Southerners often made African Americans became a target of violence and intimidation every time they go out from their homes.
As a result, many African Americans felt scared/afraid to go out in the voting booth and many of potential votes from their communities were exempted.