Readers found the December 2023 issue of The Atlantic, titled "To Reconstruct the Nation," to be poignant, inspiring, and a necessary corrective to previous narratives of American history.
The articles in the issue shed light on the pernicious aftereffects of slavery and the creation of Black Codes, as well as the racist roots of America's juvenile justice system.
Some readers feel that the issue should be read in schools to educate students about the history and ongoing struggles related to Reconstruction and racial and economic progress.