A Long Struggle and Fight
Samantha Meyer
Professor Mettler
History 146
27 February 2013
A Long Struggle and Fight
Freedom is seen as being free, making your own decisions, independence, and not being under restraint. During reconstruction and World War I, freedom was seen as either easily acquired or a dream. African Americans were not born with the gift of freedom. During this time period, blacks struggled with gaining freedom. White people had a very different version of freedom and were not willing to give it up easily. African Americans during the reconstruction era and World War I fought for freedom by fighting for land, a voice in the government, and a place in the military and other basic parts of life that white people were so accustomed to and by 1920 they were eventually successful. The first and most important thing to a freed black slave was land. Land was a gateway to other possibilities like somewhere to live, work, raise a family, grow food to eat, and to mainly start a life. “Forty acres and a mule,” was one of the first ways blacks received land and it spread across the south. “Sherman issued Special Field Order 15, which set aside the Sea Islands and a large area along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts for the settlement of black families on forty-acre plots of land (Colloquy 1).” African Americans also received a broken down mule that the army could no longer use. President Lincoln was an active member in seeking freedom and equality for African Americans. Unfortunately, after President Lincoln’s death, President Andrew Johnson took this chance away from them. He ordered that all land in federal hands should be returned to its previous owners. The black community was outraged because they were finally becoming a step closer to freedom. A committee of African Americans created a petition for President Johnson explaining why they believe they deserve the land. The petition was rejected. “No land distribution took place, the vast majority of rural freedpeople
Professor Mettler
History 146
27 February 2013
A Long Struggle and Fight
Freedom is seen as being free, making your own decisions, independence, and not being under restraint. During reconstruction and World War I, freedom was seen as either easily acquired or a dream. African Americans were not born with the gift of freedom. During this time period, blacks struggled with gaining freedom. White people had a very different version of freedom and were not willing to give it up easily. African Americans during the reconstruction era and World War I fought for freedom by fighting for land, a voice in the government, and a place in the military and other basic parts of life that white people were so accustomed to and by 1920 they were eventually successful. The first and most important thing to a freed black slave was land. Land was a gateway to other possibilities like somewhere to live, work, raise a family, grow food to eat, and to mainly start a life. “Forty acres and a mule,” was one of the first ways blacks received land and it spread across the south. “Sherman issued Special Field Order 15, which set aside the Sea Islands and a large area along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts for the settlement of black families on forty-acre plots of land (Colloquy 1).” African Americans also received a broken down mule that the army could no longer use. President Lincoln was an active member in seeking freedom and equality for African Americans. Unfortunately, after President Lincoln’s death, President Andrew Johnson took this chance away from them. He ordered that all land in federal hands should be returned to its previous owners. The black community was outraged because they were finally becoming a step closer to freedom. A committee of African Americans created a petition for President Johnson explaining why they believe they deserve the land. The petition was rejected. “No land distribution took place, the vast majority of rural freedpeople