“…We colored people did not know how to be free and the white people did not know how to have a free colored person about them”(Houston Hartsfield Holloway).The civil war ended in 1865 leading to the freedom of four million African Americans. The slaves no longer dealt with the suppression of slavery, but now with the hardships of freedom. The African Americans now faced more problems. They were starting a new life with no money, low literacy rates, and not even their own plot of farmland. Their masters denied them of food and shelter unless they agreed to work for them. That would be their last option considering they had just gained their freedom. Thousands of them fled the plantations for the cities in search of work. According to Black
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The party would do favors for the freedmen and in return they would give those votes for their candidate. The bureau also played a huge role in helping former slaves get in elected in political office. Andre Johnson (1808-75) was appointed president in April 1865 preceding the assignation of President Lincoln. In 1866 a bill was passed that increased the power of the bureau. President Johnson did not agree with this increased power of the bureau. Johnson got into a fight with congress because they felt that his Reconstruction policies were too lenient, which caused the bureau to suffer. “Johnson vetoed the bill on February 19, 1866, on the ground that it was an unconstitutional continuation of the war and that it was too soon to extend the full rights of citizenship to blacks (Freedmen’s Bureau). Later congress passed a bill that would override Johnson’s veto. The bill helped to extend the freedmen’s bureau for three more years. While the former slaves were locked away they had no control over who they would be with family wise. Many families were destroyed or separated because of this matter. However after becoming free being reunited with their loved ones was something that many former slaves looked forward to. The bureau then established courts that would help with finding loved ones, divorcing, and many other things. The bureau did not have much power in the courts, however they tried their best!
In conclusion, the freedmen’s bureau was an effective aid in helping the newly freed slaves to become financially able. However in the summer of 1875 the bureau had come to an end. Everyday life as a newly freed slave was quite hard, the freedmen’s bureau made this road to transition easier. After being freed the slaves had no experience on life as a free man and the bureau helped them with that .They provided them with jobs, medical assistance, and land to
The party would do favors for the freedmen and in return they would give those votes for their candidate. The bureau also played a huge role in helping former slaves get in elected in political office. Andre Johnson (1808-75) was appointed president in April 1865 preceding the assignation of President Lincoln. In 1866 a bill was passed that increased the power of the bureau. President Johnson did not agree with this increased power of the bureau. Johnson got into a fight with congress because they felt that his Reconstruction policies were too lenient, which caused the bureau to suffer. “Johnson vetoed the bill on February 19, 1866, on the ground that it was an unconstitutional continuation of the war and that it was too soon to extend the full rights of citizenship to blacks (Freedmen’s Bureau). Later congress passed a bill that would override Johnson’s veto. The bill helped to extend the freedmen’s bureau for three more years. While the former slaves were locked away they had no control over who they would be with family wise. Many families were destroyed or separated because of this matter. However after becoming free being reunited with their loved ones was something that many former slaves looked forward to. The bureau then established courts that would help with finding loved ones, divorcing, and many other things. The bureau did not have much power in the courts, however they tried their best!
In conclusion, the freedmen’s bureau was an effective aid in helping the newly freed slaves to become financially able. However in the summer of 1875 the bureau had come to an end. Everyday life as a newly freed slave was quite hard, the freedmen’s bureau made this road to transition easier. After being freed the slaves had no experience on life as a free man and the bureau helped them with that .They provided them with jobs, medical assistance, and land to