Freedmen

Freedmen are formerly enslaved African Americans who gained their freedom after the Civil War, primarily through the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and subsequent laws. The term often refers to those who, after emancipation, faced the challenge of establishing their independence, securing rights, and rebuilding their lives in a society that was often hostile or unprepared for their new status. Freedmen played a vital role in shaping post-war America, contributing to social, political, and economic changes during Reconstruction and beyond.