Reconstruction helped African-Americans gain more rights temporarily. The era of Reconstruction (1865-1877) was one in which the former Confederate States were restructured under the control of the US federal government. This era saw a huge increase in African-American rights included the ability to work for wages, the ability to vote, and the ability to run for office.
Unfortunately, when Reconstruction ends, the Southern states implemented Jim Crow laws and Black codes that erase almost all of the progress made during the era of Reconstruction. These laws allow for separate public facilities for whites and blacks and limit the voting rights of African-American men.