Final answer:
Whites in Mississippi suppressed the black vote following Reconstruction due to the desire to reestablish white supremacy and protect the societal hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. They implemented new state constitutions with disenfranchisement mechanisms and passed Jim Crow laws, while federal protection for African Americans was lacking.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following the Reconstruction era, whites in Mississippi felt compelled to suppress the black vote due to various social, political, and economic pressures. The end of Reconstruction saw the reestablishment of white supremacy, with conservative white Democrats regaining control of state legislatures and creating new state constitutions. These constitutions disfranchised black voters through mechanisms such as arbitrary literacy tests and burdensome poll taxes. Additionally, the implementation of Jim Crow laws further segregated and limited African American access to public resources.
During the period of Reconstruction, federal officials had attempted to integrate blacks more fully into Southern society, encouraging them to take on public jobs, government positions, and to vote. However, white supremacists viewed these measures as a threat to the societal hierarchy that had existed prior to the Civil War. Federal protection against racial violence was inadequate, and laws known as the Black Codes were established to prevent blacks from exercising their rights to property, education, and voting.
The decline of Southern Populism and fears of so-called 'negro domination' led white Southerners to use a variety of methods, including violence and voter suppression laws, to marginalize black voters. The passing of the Federal Elections Bill in 1891, prohibiting the federal government from ensuring black voting rights, marked the end of congressional efforts to maintain black suffrage. As a result, black disenfranchisement persisted well into the 20th century, shaping the political landscape of Mississippi and the broader South.