A Committee of Freedmen on Edisto Island Reveal Their Expectations
This letter was written by a group of freedmen to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Land (known as the Freedmen’s Bureau). The freedmen were from Edisto Island, South Carolina, an area that came under Union [...]
Item Type: Diary/Letter
Historical Era: Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877)
Who Freed the Slaves During the Civil War?
In this activity students analyze visual and textual evidence about "contraband" enslaved African Americans during the Civil War era. They compare the roles of African Americans, the Union military, and the policies of the Republican party in [...]
Item Type: Teaching Activity
Historical Era: Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877)