Look at the political cartoon.

An officer in a Federal uniform puts himself between a group of African Americans and a group of southern whites. Both groups look angry and carry weapons. The officer is holding one hand up to hold off the southern whites. The U S flag is in the background behind the officer.

The cartoon shows an officer from the federal government

protecting Southern whites.
protecting freed African Americans.
unable to protect Southern whites.
unable to protect freed African Americans.

1 answer

The cartoon depicts a Federal officer positioned between a group of African Americans and a group of Southern whites, visibly attempting to protect the former from the latter. Given this context, the officer is portrayed as protecting freed African Americans. The imagery suggests a tension between the two groups, with the officer serving as a barrier to prevent conflict.