The Reconstruction of the South was not a failure - neither was it a success. It was a necessary occurrence, but not done as it should have been. Southerners were still very prejudice toward people of color, although there were some who did not feel this way. The South was bitter about losing their right to own human beings and have free workers, so they enacted laws to keep the prior slaves still indebted to the white man. Also, the carpetbaggers and other scam artists were able to fool some black folk due to the fact these ex slaves had not had very much if any education or experience with "street smarts" So, it took many many more years for the black man to rise above the "way of the south."