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Running Head: REACTION AND ANALYSIS ESSAY

Reaction and Analysis Essay
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REACTION AND ANALYSIS ESSAY

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Effects of Freedmen’s Bureau on the Education of Former Slaves
James Anderson book, The Education of Blacks in the South, talks about many aspects
regarding the lives of the former slaves as they go through discrimination and abuse from their
former masters. However, it is the impacts that the Freedmen Bureau the education of the blacks
who were former slaves in America that captured my attention throughout the book.
As I read throughout the book, Anderson conveys some examples on the impacts of the
Bureau on the former slaves. The author touches on some of the key things like legalizing
education for the blacks. It was unlawful to educate any black American during the period of the
civil war. The bureau sought to correct these policies that barred the blacks from accessing
reading and writing skills. Anderson gives a clear outline of hope the blacks fought through
politicians especially the Republicans and other bodies to force the government to ensure that
blacks had education opportunities. The Bureau led to the legalization of black education
Anderson states that the Freedmen’s Bureau resulted in the improvement of the working
condition of the blacks in their workstations. Equipped with the skills of reading and writing, the
black workers could negotiate the terms of the employment contract. I think this is a strong
argument in the book as literacy levels are essential understanding the terms of a job contract. It
can even be seen today in economies where there are low literacy levels; the workers are still
exposed to poor working conditions and terms of employment.
The former slaves could access high school and institutions of higher learning which
were created in an attempt to improve the education levels of the black communities. Some of
these modern universities still exist to date including the Fisk University, Dillard University and
Hampton University which were established through the efforts of the Freedmen’s Bureau.

REACTION AND ANALYSIS ESSAY

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The effort of the Bureau led to spread of Christianity among the black communities. The
missionaries offered to travel to the black communities to provide skills of reading and writing.
They used this opportunity to spread Christianity to the black communities issuing bibles to
different people to practice reading. Education led to the adoption of Christianity amongst the
black culture. Today majority of black neighborhoods’ still have muscular Christianity believes
and practices.
The Freedmen’s Bureau enabled the former slaves to be able to read newspapers and
other publications. Literacy allowed them to be able to know what is happening around them
regarding political trends and also get trade information from the business manuals. Education
boosted the blacks’ involvement in business and politics. Although Anderson in book talks of the
increased access and willingness of Africans to read about trending issues such as trade manuals
and politics, the author fails to state whether there were prominent business men of politicians at
that time. What can be determined present during those times are labor movements that pushed
for better working conditions for blacks in the plantation and introduction of education
opportunities within the plantations.
The formation of Vanguard Post-War Movement by the skilled teachers, school
administrators and religious leaders who called for black education and recognition of black as
responsible citizens who should enjoy their privileges including their voting rights. The
movement called for leadership training for the freed slaves to help the community deal with
social and economic problems that they were facing. I feel that this is still relevant to date as the
majority of the black communities still face social and economic problems compared to the
whites. Although currently, blacks have been able to rise politically to attain highest offices in
the land, the social status of African American is still small.

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The Bureau led to improved agricultural practices amongst the blacks as some received
training from the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute of Virginia. This resulted in the
improvement of agricultural skills and practices among the black agriculturist. This information
in Anderson seems to be controversial to me because the blacks during those years did not have
ownership of the plantations unless Anderson means that the agricultural skills that they acquired
were only for the benefit of their white employees. All in all the point remains that the former
blacks accessed agricultural skills from the university through the efforts of the Freedmen’s
Effects of Education on the Lives of Black People
Education after the civil war had a lot of impacts to the black communities. This is in
various divisions including in economic, social and political aspects. The blacks could access to
education gave them a privilege of obtaining agricultural skills that they could use on the
plantations. This gave them a bargaining ground to negotiate their terms of payment. Educated
blacks could demand better payments since they had agricultural skills. Education improved the
standards of living of different freed slaves as they received better earnings from their
employees. This information is correct to some extent as some institutions like the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute of Virginia gave blacks agricultural skills.
Education led to the migration of black families to different towns and cities. Families
who sought training opportunities both parents and children moved to various towns and villages
where they could access education. The parents could source education after the school hours.
The movement to cities facilitated the spread of education among the black communities.
However, it led to the separation of different communities as families had different ideas about

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migrating to new towns. Migration resulted in reduction of family bonds between the African
families.
Blacks started to enjoy some of the freedoms that they were previously denied. Education
empowered blacks about their rights and liberties. They began pushing the government to grant
them their rights and freedoms, which was done through local movements which were formed by
educated African like the Vanguard Post-War Movement which fought for freed slaves to be
granted the freedom to vote among other rights and privileges. Although the blacks struggled to
be given their freedoms and entitlements, the white rulers were hesitant about the issue, and the
fight to freedom was long after the freeing of blacks.
The blacks could access professional care from their fellow blacks who had ...