What did 'freedom' mean for newly freed former slaves during Reconstruction?

Question

How was this definition of freedom shaped by dominant political figures of the period, and how did these figures support or oppose the idea of freedom put forth by newly freed black men and women?

Answer 1

It is also important to emphasize that the promises of freedom during Reconstruction were short-lived, as the period was followed by the rise of Jim Crow laws and systemic racial discrimination that persisted for many years. Nevertheless, the aspirations of newly freed former slaves during Reconstruction played a crucial role in shaping the ongoing struggle for civil rights in the United States.

Answer 2

The most immediate aspect of freedom was the end of slavery, meaning liberation from inhumane treatment such as being bought or sold by another human. Freed slaves sought full citizenship, which was granted to all people born or naturalized in the US through the 14th Amendment. The 15th Amendment, which prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, was also critical in this regard. Economic independence meant the ability to own land, seek employment of one's choice, and be fairly compensated for labor. Access to education was also a key aspect of freedom which also enabled formerly enslaved people to improve their socioeconomic status. The establishment of schools for Black Americans was a significant step toward this goal. Freedom also meant the ability to reunite with family members, as countless Black families had been separated during the slave trade.

As for political figures, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and radical republicans in congress pushed for laws that protected the rights of Black Americans. Many Southern leaders opposed these movements and sought to restore the pre-Civil War dynamic. The Black Codes and Jim Crow laws meant to curb the freedom of Black people and enforce segregation.

Freedom for newly freed individuals was a comprehensive vision of a life with dignity, economic independence, legal rights, educational opportunity, and family integrity. The extent to which these freedoms were realized was affected by political figures and their influence over public opinion. Significant strides toward freedom were made during the Reconstruction era, yet setbacks in the post-Reconstruction era continually harmed the lives and freedoms of Black Americans.

Answer 3

Post-Civil War America was a petri dish for the question of what ‘freedom’ meant. To newly freed slaves, freedom meant more than just being released from shackles and forced labor; it meant they were to enjoy all the rights of white citizens, whether that be economic, political, or social rights. Southern whites who fought for the Confederacy attempted to define black freedom in the narrowest sense possible, unable to grasp that freedom for former slaves was the same as freedom for them. It is in this context that we must look at the issue of Presidential Reconstruction vs. Radical Reconstruction.

               Andrew Johnson may have been a Republican in favor of ending slavery in the United States, but that did not mean he viewed Black people as equal to whites. After being elected, he offered a pardon to nearly every white southerner, requiring them simply to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. This restored political and property rights to those who just fought the bloodiest war on American soil for the sole purpose of upholding slavery as an institution. Although this pardon excluded Confederate leaders and larger plantation owners, those exclusions proved flimsy, and many were pardoned individually later. Additionally, Johnson appointed provisional Governors and ordered them to call state conventions, elected by whites alone, that would establish loyal governments throughout the South. The combination of these pardons and newly formed, loyal governments led to the establishment of the Black Codes, which were laws passed by the new Southern governments that attempted to recognize the freedom of former slaves while also regulating their lives in a way that was very similar to slave conditions. They could not serve in state militias, vote, serve on juries, or testify against whites, and were forced to sign yearly labor contracts with whites or risk being detained and indentured. This vision of Reconstruction was unacceptable to newly freed men and women, as well as to more Radical Republicans, who put forth their own vision that would come to define the era.

               The Radical Republicans, led by men like Thaddeus Stevens, called for the dissolution of Johnson’s loyal Southern governments because they were too friendly to Confederate rebels and too hostile to freed slaves. Their argument was that states’ rights should not interfere with protecting the individual rights of all freed men. Stevens went so far as to propose dividing up the land of rebellious plantation owners between newly freed men and northern migrants, however this plan proved to be too radical for the time. Most congressmen believed too strongly in property rights to strip land from one group and distribute it to others, even if one group used the enslaved labor of the other to acquire and develop said land. Despite this minor setback, the Radical Republicans were able to pass the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, which granted birthright citizenship to all persons born in the US and spelled out their rights without regard to race. Although this was passed as an offset to the Black Codes, it still made no mention of the Right to Vote. It eventually passed despite a veto from Andrew Johnson, the first time this had happened in the young country’s history. This bill eventually led to the passing of the 14^th amendment, which again did not guarantee the right to vote to black people but did reduce a state’s representation in congress if they did not allow black people to vote. Johnson once again vetoed, and pressured states to not ratify this amendment, however the Radical Republicans in congress were able to pass the Reconstruction Act, allowing them to create military governments in those states and force them to ratify.

               In short, Johnson’s plan for Reconstruction was very lenient toward Confederate Rebels and limited the freedom of former slaves, whereas the Radical Republicans attempted to at least begin to rectify the damage done by slavery.