Promotion denied, again
In this letter, dated November 18, 1864, Major General J.G. Foster responds to a request made by Massachusetts Governor John Andrew. Andrew had repeated a request...
Record of Marriages
While many slave couples formed lasting bonds during their enslavement, slave marriages had no legal foundation or protection. The abolishment of slavery not only...
Remarks on schools
Freedmen’s Bureau agents were required to submit reports on educational efforts in the locations where they were assigned. Reports on schools for Freedmen often...
Requesting a month’s rest
In this letter dated November 9, 1863, Massachusetts Governor John Andrew asked Secretary of War Edwin Stanton for a 30-day furlough for Sergeant William H. Carney so...
Riots in New York
In mid-July 1863, when Federal officials began enrolling men for the draft, riots erupted in New York City. Maj. Gen. John E. Wood requested reinforcements in this...
School in Lincolnton
Monthly reports to the Freedmen's Bureau from its agents gave detailed progress reports on the state of education in local communities. African American communities...
Senator Hiram Rhoades Revels
Dated January 25, 1870, these are the credentials for Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels of Mississippi, the first African American to serve in the Senate.