To What Extent Were African-American Slaves “Free” After the Abolition of Slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? What Challenges Did They Face After Their Emancipation?
Abstract:
To what extent were African-American slaves “free” after the abolition of slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? What challenges did they face after their emancipation? This is a subject of continued interest. History is rife with records of decades of untold torture and harrowing experiences. African-American slaves suffered at the hands of their captors and masters. They were denied all natural rights as human beings and forced to live like animals. A slave was viewed as one-third of a person and the property of their owner(s) and treated as objects, mere things. One would therefore assume that after their emancipation, life would become significantly better because the slaves were free to move away from the torturous hands of their masters. Indeed these slaves were truly hopeful to live as free people in their new land of opportunities. Regrettably, many of them faced incredible opposition and discrimination even after emancipation.
Being emancipated from slavery did not, for instance, make the former slaves enjoy equal treatment as the white population. Life continued to be unbearable for them. Thus by and large, the emancipation of the African-American slaves did not truly free them nor directly lead to an increased quality of life or standard of living. It was only the beginning of that dream.
Investigation
Over the course of many centuries the idea of freedom has been tossed back and forth, constantly being modified to fit the standards of those times. This ideology has also steadily progressed through history. As far back as history can tell us, freedom was virtually non-existent. People were under the absolute rule of kings and monarchs. As revolts and rebellions occurred against these monarchs the idea of freedom gradually evolved. Citizens began to recognize that they were equal as human beings and had rights, thus refused to blindly follow their incapable leaders any longer. With this change also came
To what extent were African-American slaves “free” after the abolition of slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? What challenges did they face after their emancipation? This is a subject of continued interest. History is rife with records of decades of untold torture and harrowing experiences. African-American slaves suffered at the hands of their captors and masters. They were denied all natural rights as human beings and forced to live like animals. A slave was viewed as one-third of a person and the property of their owner(s) and treated as objects, mere things. One would therefore assume that after their emancipation, life would become significantly better because the slaves were free to move away from the torturous hands of their masters. Indeed these slaves were truly hopeful to live as free people in their new land of opportunities. Regrettably, many of them faced incredible opposition and discrimination even after emancipation.
Being emancipated from slavery did not, for instance, make the former slaves enjoy equal treatment as the white population. Life continued to be unbearable for them. Thus by and large, the emancipation of the African-American slaves did not truly free them nor directly lead to an increased quality of life or standard of living. It was only the beginning of that dream.
Investigation
Over the course of many centuries the idea of freedom has been tossed back and forth, constantly being modified to fit the standards of those times. This ideology has also steadily progressed through history. As far back as history can tell us, freedom was virtually non-existent. People were under the absolute rule of kings and monarchs. As revolts and rebellions occurred against these monarchs the idea of freedom gradually evolved. Citizens began to recognize that they were equal as human beings and had rights, thus refused to blindly follow their incapable leaders any longer. With this change also came
Bibliography: Berlin, I., Fields, B. J., Miller, S. F., Reidy, J. P., Rowland, L. S. (1992). Free at Last: A Documentary History of Slavery, Freedom, and the Civil War. New York, NY: The New Press. Litwack, F. L. (1979). Been in the Storm So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Rose, W. L. (1982). Slavery and Freedom. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press. [4] Free at Last: A Documentary History of Slavery, Freedom, and the Civil War, p. 96 [5] The Negro in American History: A Taste of Freedom, 1854-1927, p [6] The Negro in American History: A Taste of Freedom, 1854-1927, p. 327 [7] The Negro in American History: A Taste of Freedom, 1854-1927, p