Among the first steps taken by freedpeople, after reuniting with their family or securing their freedom and safety, was to learn to read and write. Numerous “Freedmen’s Schools” were established throughout Union-occupied territory in the South. In the spring of … Continue reading →
Looking forward to speaking at the Two Mississippi Museums on June 18, celebrating Juneteenth and telling about Milliken’s Bend’s role in the Freedom Story. Details here. Part of the “History is Lunch” series.
Continue reading →Long before the enslaved of Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom through Union General Gordon Granger’s General Orders No. 3, issued on June 19, 1865, now celebrated as “Juneteenth,” the enslaved men, women, and children of northeast Louisiana seized their … Continue reading →
Juneteenth is a storied and noteworthy day in the African American Freedom Story. But no single day “freed the slaves.” And slavery continued for a brief time, legally, even after June 19, 1865. It was not until the 13th Amendment … Continue reading →
John Gordon’s complete pension file – now available online! Nearly 300 pages!
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