Direct effects on the Freed SLave population
Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate south, it did not answer the question of what was to become of the many newly freed peoples. The quest to expand freedom to African Americans in the years following the Civil War, or the Reconstruction Era, led to radical social, political and structural changes throughout the nation. These changes included the work of the Freedmen’s Bureau, prominent leaders and activists and the ratification of the 13th,14th and 15th Amendments. Ultimately, the Reconstruction redefined the boundaries of American freedom by giving African Americans access to education, the ability to form communities through black churches and political power.
Education
Prior to Civil War, almost all southern states had enacted some form of legislation that had prohibited the education of slaves. Immediately upon gaining freedom, learning to read, write and access all forms of education was a top priority among former slaves. Most freed people understood that the only way to effectively fight the oppression they had faced and would face in the future was to become educated and gain political power. During the Reconstruction Era, literacy rates among African Americans grew dramatically. In Black Hope, White Power: Emancipation, Reconstruction and the Legacy of Unequal Schooling in the US South, Richard E. Butchart explains, “In the course of a decade, black school attendance nationally quintupled from less than 2% of all African-Americans on the eve of the American Civil War, virtually all in the northern states, to nearly 10% by 1870. In the following decade, it tripled again, to nearly one third of black children of school age.”[1] The education of former slaves was made possible through the work of black community churches, northern missionary societies and the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, usually referred to as the Freedman’s Bureau. Congress established the Freedman’s Bureau in 1865 to help former slaves and poor whites in the south adjust after the Civil War by providing services such as food, water, education, healthcare and protection. The Freedman’s Bureau helped coordinate the missionary and aid societies, black churches and previously established black schools in order to meet the demands of freed peoples’ desire for education. In addition, the Bureau helped open over 1,000 new black schools and over 400,000 dollars was spent on teacher-training institutions. Moreover, all of the first major black colleges were either founded by, or received aid from, the Freedmen’s Bureau.[2]
BLack community churches
Just as southern states had made the education of slaves illegal, it had also been illegal for slaves to hold church services without a white minister present. After obtaining their freedom, former slaves pooled together their resources to acquire land and build their own religious institutions.[3] As one of the first institutions completely controlled and owned by African Americans, churches played a central role in developing a sense of support and community among freed peoples. In America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War, Eric Foner and Olivia Mahoney argue, “The creation of autonomous black churches was a major achievement of the Reconstruction era, and a central component of blacks' conception of freedom.”[4] In addition, not only did they function as a place of worship, but they also served as community centers, schools and centers for political activity. For example, a large proportion of blacks that held elective office during the first years following the war originated from the churches. Moreover, as stated earlier, black churches were central to the establishment of black educational institutions. In conclusion, black community churches contributed to how the Reconstruction redefined the boundaries of American Freedom because they were the first institutions completely owned by African Americans and central to the development of free black communities including education and political activities.
Political power and justice
Through the ratification of the 15th amendment and access to education, reconstruction efforts provided former slaves with the means to gain political power. In the article Black Leaders During the Reconstruction, History.com explains that about 600 blacks served in state legislatures during the Reconstruction, including Hiram Revels, the first African American to be elected to the Senate.[5] In addition, many former slaves served as officers of the Freedmen’s Bureau. Black Civil War veterans and officers of the Freedmen’s Bureau also served in state constitutional conventions and Reconstruction legislatures that contributed to most southern states finally ratifying the 14th and 15th amendments. Some southern states passed legislative reforms that included laws desegregating public accommodations, founding and supporting public schooling, and reforming criminal laws and punishments.[6] If not for the participation of African Americans in legislative bodies and as voters during the Reconstruction, many of these milestones may not of been reached. African Americans occupied many positions at the local level as well, such as sheriffs, justices of the peace, city aldermen, and county commissioners.[7] Having newly freed blacks actively participating in government at the local level greatly contributed to how the Reconstruction redefined the boundaries of American freedom for blacks and whites. Specifically for blacks, the idea of having local black officials available for everyday government activities and the administration of justice and protection was central to what they considered true freedom and justice and their rights as American citizens.
Sources
[1] Ronald Buchart "Black Hope, White Power: Emancipation, Reconstruction." Paedagogica Historica: International Journal Of The History Of Education 46, no. 1-2 (2010): 33-50. (accessed February 25, 2015)
[2] Buchart, “Black Hope” 45
[3] Eric Foner and Olivia Mahoney. "The Meaning of Freedom: Black and White Responses to the Ending Of Slavery." In America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1997), 40.
[4] Foner and Mahoney "Meaning of Freedom,” 45-49.
[5] "Black Leaders During Reconstruction," last modified January 1, 2010, http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/black-leaders-during-reconstruction.
[6] “Black Leaders During Reconstruction”
[7] “Black Leaders During Reconstruction”
[2] Buchart, “Black Hope” 45
[3] Eric Foner and Olivia Mahoney. "The Meaning of Freedom: Black and White Responses to the Ending Of Slavery." In America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1997), 40.
[4] Foner and Mahoney "Meaning of Freedom,” 45-49.
[5] "Black Leaders During Reconstruction," last modified January 1, 2010, http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/black-leaders-during-reconstruction.
[6] “Black Leaders During Reconstruction”
[7] “Black Leaders During Reconstruction”