Freedmen's town facts for kids

A freedmen's town was a special community or town built by African Americans in the United States. These towns were created by freedmen, who were people formerly enslaved. They gained their freedom during and after the American Civil War. Many of these towns appeared in states like Texas. They are also called freedom colonies.

A New Start: Building Freedmen's Towns

After the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment, about 4 million people were freed from slavery. This happened in the southern states and also in four "border" states that allowed slavery but stayed with the Union. Many freed people wondered where they would live and how they would earn money.

Some stayed on plantations, working as sharecroppers. But many others decided to move away from white supervision. They wanted to build their own towns. In these new places, they could create their own churches and community groups.

Freedmen's settlements offered more protection from unfair laws called Jim Crow. These towns were like safe places where Black property owners worked together. They were often called a "fortress without walls." These communities mostly kept to themselves. Few white people wanted, or dared, to live there until the end of the Jim Crow era.

Learning and Education

Education was extremely important to people living in freedmen's towns. They quickly started their own schools. Both adults and children went to these schools to learn how to read and write.

By 1915, most schools in freedmen's settlements were small. They were usually one or two-room buildings made of wood. Textbooks often came from white schools as donations. However, these books were often old and in poor condition. Teachers were very strict about rules. They made sure students followed them carefully.

The Freedmen's Bureau: Helping a New Future

To help freed people with education and their new lives, President Abraham Lincoln created the Freedmen's Bureau. This bureau helped with things like finding jobs and setting up banks.

In 1865, the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, looked for someone to lead the Bureau. General Ulysses S. Grant suggested General John Eaton. General Eaton was known for being a kind and helpful person. He had already helped Black refugees after the Civil War.

However, the job of Bureau commissioner went to General Oliver Otis Howard. He was another Christian general and Civil War veteran. He was known as the "Christian General" because of his strong connections to groups helping freed people.

The Bureau was mostly run by former Union army officers. They gave food to Black and white people who needed it. They also helped set up fair work agreements for former slaves. The Bureau provided money to start schools for freed people.

The Freedmen's Bureau was created by the American Freedmen's Inquiry Commission. This group was formed in 1863 by the War Department. Its goal was to help and advise newly freed slaves. Three people who had always fought against slavery created it: Robert Dale Owen, James McKaye, and Samuel Gridley. They visited the South and collected stories from both Black and white people.

Challenges and Changes

After President Lincoln's death, President Andrew Johnson took office. In February 1866, during the Reconstruction period, President Johnson stopped the funding for the Freedmen's Bureau. This made it harder for the Bureau to continue its work.

The period after the Civil War also saw the rise of Jim Crow laws. These were unfair laws that kept Black people from having the same rights and opportunities as white people. Freedmen's towns became even more important as safe havens during this time.

A Special Place: Freedmen's Town Historic District

Today, you can find the Freedmen's Town Historic District in the Fourth Ward of Houston, Texas. This area helps remember the important history of these unique communities.