Who was involved in the freedmen’s bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau, officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, was a federal agency created in 1865 to assist and protect the newly emancipated African Americans in the South after the Civil War. The key individuals involved in the establishment and operation of the Freedmen's Bureau were:
1. Thaddeus Stevens: A Congressman and abolitionist who played a key role in advocating for the Freedmen's Bureau Act in Congress.
2. Oliver O. Howard: A Union Army general who was appointed as the Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau. He oversaw the bureau's operations and worked to provide assistance and protection to the freedmen.
3. Freeman Bank: A prominent African American leader and educator, Bank was appointed as Assistant Commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau and played a significant role in the bureau's efforts to establish schools and educational programs for freedmen.
4. General Carl Schurz: A German-born Union Army General who served as the Secretary of the Interior. He played a crucial role in organizing and guiding the bureau's activities.
5. Numerous field agents and officers: The Freedmen's Bureau had a network of field agents and officers who were responsible for carrying out the bureau's work on the ground, including providing relief, establishing schools, distributing land, and helping with labor contracts.
It is important to note that while the Freedmen's Bureau was primarily focused on helping African Americans, they also provided assistance to poor whites and played a significant role in the early years of Reconstruction in the southern states.