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Toward a Third Reconstruction

In this moment of democratic crisis, a Third Reconstruction is necessary to complete the unfinished work of the first two Reconstructions. This series explores what it will take to build a new era of racial justice, radical citizenship, and genuine multiracial democracy. 

In November 2025, we launched a six-week series, co-produced and published by Nonprofit Quarterly, featuring articles by labor leaders, grassroots organizers, philanthropic innovators, and democracy defenders. The series highlights the need for a Third Reconstruction—one that takes us beyond the First Reconstruction (1865-1877) after the Civil War and the Second Reconstruction (1950s-1960s) and confronts the modern systems that continue to deny full freedom today.

Across each article, expert authors lay out concrete steps for realizing the promise of an expansive, multiracial democracy. 

From understanding our history to looking toward our future, the series offers an expansive exploration of justice, linking past resistance to the demands of the present. We’ve been here before, and it’s time to be bold in our dreaming.

Explore the series
The Struggle for Our Times
Symbols of organizing and activism in front of a group of people holding signs

At a time of racial justice backlash, a call for a full-throated multiracial democracy may seem audacious—it’s also a necessary movement to preserve US democracy at all.

Read Dr. Peniel Joseph
A Path to Democracy with Labor and Solidarity
A woman smiling in front of organizers with rally signs

To build the democracy we never had, activating people power—animated by an inclusive vision for our economy, especially through labor unions—is essential.

Read Darrick Hamilton & Dorian Warren
Why We Must Defend the Fourteenth Amendment
Organizer with a bull horn in front of a rally line

The three post–Civil War constitutional amendments offered the United States a second, more democratic founding. Preserving this framework is essential.

Read DaMareo Cooper & Analilia Mejia
Community Organizing Can Stop Authoritarianism
Two individuals shaking hands

Building community power and advancing a Third Reconstruction requires a combination of a clear vision coupled with a commitment to deep relational organizing.

Read Sulma Arias
Four Ways Philanthropy Can Support the Movement
A hand dropping cash into a jar

Foundations can play an important role in helping movements not only survive but thrive. But doing so requires a shift in mindset—and accountability to the public good.

Read Dr. Richard Besser & Dr. Carmen Rojas
Paving the Path for a Third Reconstruction
A woman carrying a child on her back

Dēmos President Taifa Smith Butler asks: Can movement advocates imagine liberation in a time of mounting authoritarianism? Not only can we, but we must. To do so requires imagination, planning, and action.

Read Taifa Smith Butler
Experience the conversation
Planning for a Third Reconstruction
Hand holding a wrench

On December 17, we brought the Third Reconstruction series to life by hosting a one-hour webinar focused on turning its ideas into action.  

Watch the webinar