What were the economic and social conditions of blacks in the South during Reconstruction?

What were the economic and social conditions of blacks in
the South during Reconstruction?

Most made their living as
farm laborers and tenant farmers; many made their living as household servants; a good
number made their living in the mechanical trades such as carpentry, brick laying,
etc.

Generally speaking, their former masters were their
best friends and supporters amongst the white population.  And generally speaking, those
whites who had never owned slaves, both middle-class and poor, sought "to keep them in
their place."  Their former owners were not into elevating them politically or socially
across the board but were supportive of giving them opportunity to elevate themselves
individually through their own efforts.  The former nonslaveowning whites were for
denying them opportunity to elevate themselves through individual effort.  In a
democracy, the majority (non former slave owners)soon suppress the minority (former
slave owners) even if the minority is more elevated in its
principles.

Blacks fared better in parts of the South that
were majority black because there were fewer former nonslave owning whites living in
those areas; many or most whites in those areas were former slave owners who thought
more of giving the blacks a chance.

The Republican Party
had prosecuted the War against the South and were the post-war exploiters and oppressors
of the South, so most Southern whites hated the Republican Party.  On the other hand,
the Republican Party was responsible for the freedom of the blacks, so most Southern
blacks supported the Republican Party.  For a time, the Republican Party ruled the South
by disenfranchising many whites and enfranchising the blacks.  This also created white
resentment against the blacks which later translated to intensified efforts "to keep
them in their place."

There is a short story of fiction
about this era that you can find on the Internet.  It was written by a woman from the
North who lived in the South during this period.  Most historical fiction has its
author's slant to the interpretation, but then so does most history.  A fiction writer
can lie but a history writer can only distort or he will receive no creedence at all. 
But I digress.  This story will give you an idea of some aspects of race relations and
black status during Reconstruction.  It is "King David" by Constance Woolson.  The link
is below.