What derogatory term was used for white Southerners who supported Reconstruction?

The term "Scalawags" was used derisively to refer to white Southerners who supported Reconstruction after the Civil War. This label was particularly aimed at those who aligned themselves with the Republican Party and helped implement Reconstruction policies, which aimed to rebuild the South and integrate freed African Americans into society as full citizens.

Scalawags were often seen as traitors by their fellow Southerners who opposed Reconstruction, as they supported measures that were viewed as Northern impositions. This opposition stemmed from a desire to maintain the pre-war social and economic order, which included the subjugation of African Americans.

While "Yankees" typically referred to people from the North, particularly soldiers or supporters of the Union, and "Carpetbaggers" described Northerners who moved to the South post-war for economic or political gain, both terms reflect different aspects of the regional tensions during Reconstruction. "Radicals" refers to more extreme members of the Republican Party who pushed for more aggressive policies, especially those advocating for civil rights for African Americans, rather than Southern supporters of these reforms themselves. Thus, the derogatory term most accurately describing white Southern supporters of Reconstruction is "Scalawags."