格蘭特出於責任感入伍,是南北戰爭最耀眼的英雄,在共和黨一致推舉下當選總統。他在白宮穩定戰後國民經濟,支持國會推動重建,批准第十五條憲法修正案,嚴厲打擊三K黨。聯邦在他任內走向全面恢復。他提名非裔和猶太裔出任聯邦要職,1871年設立第一個美國公務員委員會,對公務員制度的推動超越過去任何總統。即使跨黨派的政敵在1872年大選中聯手,但格蘭特仍輕鬆連任。格蘭特主張推動印第安人朝白人文化同化,任內爆發大蘇族戰爭。美國在格蘭特執掌白宮期間沒有對外戰爭,針對英國的「阿拉巴馬號」索賠案巧妙解決,但兼併多明尼加的條約遭參議院否決。
In 1948, 107-year-old Jack Riddle and his wife Rosie, both former slaves, were photographed receiving a radio from a group of Klansmen—one dressed as Santa Claus. The image captures a disturbing display of performative “charity,” likely staged by the KKK as a photo opportunity, masking their legacy of hatred behind a facade of goodwill.

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