Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, often called the Freedmen’s Bureau, was a U.S. government agency established in 1865 after the Civil War. Its purpose was to help newly freed enslaved people and impoverished Southerners by providing food, housing, education, legal aid, and healthcare. It also helped former slaves find work and negotiate fair labor contracts. The bureau aimed to assist with their transition to freedom and rebuild the war-torn South. It played a significant role in early efforts to promote rights and integration for African Americans during Reconstruction.