Freedmen's Bureau

In March 1865, before the Civil War officially ended, the United States government created the Freedmen’s Bureau to help former slaves and the South rebuild after the war. Even though the war ended the next month, the Freedmen’s Bureau was designed to solve the major problems that came afterward.

The South was badly damaged—cities, plantations, and railroads were destroyed, and many people, both Black and white, had no food, homes, or jobs. Life was especially hard for the four million newly freed slaves, most of whom could not read or write, had little money, and had been separated from their families.

The Freedmen’s Bureau helped by:

• Providing education – It built schools and hired teachers so freedmen and their children could learn to read and write. It also created schools for adults.

• Giving food and medical care – It handed out food, clothing, and medical help to those in need.

• Offering legal assistance – It helped freedmen with labor contracts, legalized marriages, and provided legal support in disputes over wages, land, and unfair treatment.

• Helping with jobs and housing – It worked to find jobs and fair wages for freedmen and helped them find places to live.

The Freedmen’s Bureau was part of the U.S. War Department, and over 200,000 soldiers were sent to the South to help enforce the new laws and protect freedpeople. However, many white Southerners hated the Bureau for helping former slaves including President Andrew Johnson who tried to stop its work by vetoing its bills.

The Freedmen’s Bureau only lasted until 1872, but it made a lasting impact—especially by giving many freed slaves their first chance at an education.