Instructions
The end of slavery in the United States was revolutionary. For former slaves, now free, lives and livelihoods had to be remade. On the minds of many was reuniting with family members separated by slave trades and war. New black communities were built and old ones were renewed, centering on independent black churches, schools, and economic activity. Freedpeople knew that to live independently, they had to be literate, had to remake themselves and their communities. Hope and optimism soon faded as economic and political independence was not fully realized. Abandoned by the government, African Americans clearly understood that they were responsible for their own success.
How did African Americans (both formerly enslaved and those born free) navigate in an American society without slavery? What were some of the specific challenges that they faced during this period? What were some of the various experiences of those African Americans living in the South? in the North? Or, in the West? Was one region better in terms of opportunities than another? Why or why not?