Freedom In Louisiana

Freedom did not come easy for the former slaves of the United States of America. Racism was still highly prevalent in the process of ratifying the 13th Amendment and even more afterwards. Times were hard before they had a voice and only got harder after they were considered a part of the country. Former slaves had to defend themselves in order to survive in the country for the reason that no one else would. After the 13th Amendment was ratified on January 31, 1865, former slaves used political, social, and economic means to secure civil rights and economic power. Before being freed, slaves were not allowed whatsoever to be involved in politics. Being able to be apart of the country in which they live in, African-Americans were content. Many joined government bodies. The new Louisiana constitution that was rewritten under the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 salutes many of the blacks, most of them freeborn, who formed a majority of delegates at the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1868. The many others who were did not physically a part of government exercised their rights to vote with the rest of the eligible voters, not as African-Americans and whites, but all together as citizens of the United States of America. Though many did go into government, some continued to work. They were
Foster, Adams requested a school. In 1880, the Alabama State Legislature authorized the creation of a “Negro Normal School in Tuskegee” and appropriated $2,000 for teacher salaries. No money was provided for the purpose of land, buildings, or supplies. African-Americans seeked assimilation with the rest of the citizens of the United States. Students, some of whom had some reading and writing skills, were taught so they could return to their homes and educate others in new agricultural ways and other intellectual and religious pursuits. Many graduates later became Tuskegee Institute