this is an image from gettysburg from 1888 where veterans had gathered to make this the union memorial park. african-americans for their part, another picture from richmond, celebrated emancipation day. for the most part, confederates lauded the lost cause and african-americans along with their abolitionist allies the emancipation cause. despite the fact that there were very distinct memories of the war and concerted efforts on the part of all of these groups to protect what they saw as the truth of the war, despite this, why the 1880's and 1890's, there was a culture of reconciliation. americans were celebrating that they had come back together. they created the first national military park. the first one was in chattanooga. it was authorized by congress in 1880. this was proof that the nation had come back together. union and confederate soldiers united to dedicate the national military park. popular plays and musicals at the time celebrang the reunion of the nation. even political campaigns, the populist campaign celebrated reconciliation. in all of these efforts, there was a focus on th