Evolution of African Americans' Concept of Freedom

Evolution of African Americans' Concept of Freedom
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Evolution of African Americans' Concept of Freedom
The period between the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1945 witnessed a significant transformation in the African American community's idea of freedom. An analysis of various primary sources produced during the period highlights the evolving perceptions of freedom within the African American population, detailing key events, movements, and individuals that shaped their struggle for equality and liberation. From the hope ignited by Emancipation to the disillusionment of Reconstruction and the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans experienced profound shifts in their understanding and pursuit of freedom during this transformative era.
The end of the Civil War marked the formal abolition of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. This pivotal moment instilled a sense of hope and newfound aspirations for African Americans and their conceptualization of freedom primarily revolved around the acquisition of basic civil rights, access to education, and economic independence. The African American perspective on freedom following the end of the civil war is evident from the petition written by freedmen to President Andrew Jackson following his enactment of a policy that reversed the ownership of land previously distributed to free slaves back to former owners (Foner, Duval, & McGirr, 2023, pp. 35). In the petition, the freedmen note that they should be accorded equal rights as other members of the newly formed Union. Freedmen assert that the policy was injurious to their freedom as it consigned them to the will of large landowners. The main request that the freedman made in the petition was that they should be allowed to purchase land just like other American citizens. The importance of African American accessing basic human rights is also evident from an 1883 lithograph, From the Plantation to the Senate (Foner, Duval, & McGirr, 2023, pp. 65). The artwork shows African Americans enjoying basic civil rights such as political representation, land ownership, and education, among others. The African Americans considered the ability to enjoy basic human rights such as economic independence as indispensable to their freedom in the newly formed Union.
However, African Americans had to reconceptualize their view of freedom with the rise of white supremacy and the withdrawal of federal troops following the end of the Reconstruction Era. The introduction of Jim Crow laws and the increased retreat from racial equality means that the notion of freedom for African Americans shifted to focus on survival, self-determination, and the preservation of community institutions, such as churches and schools. The speech delivered by Idah B. Well in 1893 Boston highlight the revised view of freedom as her emphasis was raising awareness on the unfairness of the Lynch laws as they were implemented in the country (Foner, Duval, & Mc...