Reconstruction and Military Government after the Civil War (1865-1877)
From heart-wrenching personal letters to bills of lading for office supplies, this module offers remarkable insight into the early Reconstruction period in the American South. The correspondence of the U.S. Army’s Office of Civil Affairs reveals efforts to foster democracy and rebuild communities in the divided and war-torn former Confederate states.
This collection includes letters, petitions, court proceedings and internal documents related to elections. Another prominent subject is the fair administration of the election process. Troubles often arose as African Americans prepared to exercise their newly won rights to vote and run for office; many letters in the collection call for military intervention to secure these rights. Also included are letters received by the Attorney General pertaining to law and order in southern states from 1871-1884 and records of the Freedmen’s Hospital and the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company.
“Because of mismanagement, abuse, fraud, and other economic factors, the Freedman’s Bank failed in 1874, leaving tens of thousands of its depositors in economic ruin. The original records of Freedman’s Bank are housed at the National Archive facility …”
Remarks of Reginald Washington
National Archives and Records Administration
February 23, 2001