Black residents of Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana first learn of their freedom this day when Federal soldiers march into town with good news. The soldiers, tasked with helping with Reconstruction in the state through the Freedmen’s Bureau, remain in Shreveport for ten years.The Bureau assists former slaves in securing jobs with fair pay and obtaining…
Louisiana is in the news this day. The Union ship Kentucky leaves Shreveport late in the day with some 800 passengers aboard, many paroled Confederate soldiers, some with their families. Plying the Red River, the overloaded ship strikes a snag that rips a gash in the vessel. Two hours pass before the leak is noticed.…
In the former Confederate capital of Richmond, white citizens are determined to retain control over their former slaves. This week white authorities resort to force and violence in order to preserve their control. Black citizens, although now legally free according to the federal government, are forced in Richmond to obtain passes to go about town,…