The end of Reconstruction, unfortunately, saw the antebellum white political class restored to power throughout the South, ending the brief flowering of black political influence. Obviously, it would take some big changes to avert this entirely.
However, there's a scenario that I think has potential: what if that hadn't been universal? What if there had been one Southern state where blacks achieved a sufficient majority that even with the KKK running around, black politicians were still able to win elections and retain control of state institutions?
First of all, there's the question of which state. I think the most likely state would have been South Carolina, as it had a black majority for quite some time. I don't know enough about the specific conditions to suggest a specific POD, but let's say that for one reason or another, enough blacks from elsewhere in the South move into South Carolina (and enough whites move out) that by 1877 (when Reconstruction ended) the state population is well over 2/3 black. This only accelerates once Reconstruction ends, as South Carolina becomes a safe haven for blacks.
Leaving aside the impact of South Carolina being a Republican stronghold for decades, there would be a persistent black presence in Congress. I doubt this would make Southern segregationists hesitate even for a moment, but the regular rancor and insults directed at South Carolina's Congressmen would create a persistent current of sympathy for them. South Carolina's borders would be tense, with Klansmen skirmishing with black militias (often backed up by law enforcement from both sides of the border). And the wealthy businessmen of Charleston could be major supporters for the civil rights movement.
There would probably be a movement to make South Carolina's status as "the black state" official. Georgia and North Carolina in particular would view South Carolina as subversive, and might shift towards trying to expel their blacks entirely. And once the Civil Rights movement gets going, South Carolina will be its natural headquarters.
However, there's a scenario that I think has potential: what if that hadn't been universal? What if there had been one Southern state where blacks achieved a sufficient majority that even with the KKK running around, black politicians were still able to win elections and retain control of state institutions?
First of all, there's the question of which state. I think the most likely state would have been South Carolina, as it had a black majority for quite some time. I don't know enough about the specific conditions to suggest a specific POD, but let's say that for one reason or another, enough blacks from elsewhere in the South move into South Carolina (and enough whites move out) that by 1877 (when Reconstruction ended) the state population is well over 2/3 black. This only accelerates once Reconstruction ends, as South Carolina becomes a safe haven for blacks.
Leaving aside the impact of South Carolina being a Republican stronghold for decades, there would be a persistent black presence in Congress. I doubt this would make Southern segregationists hesitate even for a moment, but the regular rancor and insults directed at South Carolina's Congressmen would create a persistent current of sympathy for them. South Carolina's borders would be tense, with Klansmen skirmishing with black militias (often backed up by law enforcement from both sides of the border). And the wealthy businessmen of Charleston could be major supporters for the civil rights movement.
There would probably be a movement to make South Carolina's status as "the black state" official. Georgia and North Carolina in particular would view South Carolina as subversive, and might shift towards trying to expel their blacks entirely. And once the Civil Rights movement gets going, South Carolina will be its natural headquarters.
