The Freedmen's Bureau
In attempt to help the freedmen, the U.S. government established the Bureau of Refugees. The first commissioner of the Bureau was Union General Oliver Howard. The purpose of the bureau which soon was known as the Freedmen's Bureau was to help poor whites and freedmen handle everyday problems. The people of the Bureau offered them clothing, food, and education. The Burea mainly focused on Education. The Reason the freedmen came to the Bureau was because they were lost. The Freedmen had no experience with running businesses. Education was way to get them back on their feet and to move on from a life of Demand, Obey, or die. Before the slaves were freed, they could not make their own decisions. But now that they are freedmen they have more decisions than they know what to do with. The real world was foreign to them and the Bureau was there to help by setting up over 4,000 schools, nearly 70 industrial schools,and over 70 teacher training institutes. The bureau spent over $400,00.00 to help the schools. Northerners who took part in certain church societies helped by sending donations and educators. In the late 1860's, the American Baptist Home organized Morehouse College in Augusta, Georgia. Morehouse moved to Atlanta in the 1870's still in operation today. Another reconstruction Era school was Clark College in Atlanta. Clark College was originally a school for children but in 1877 became a Georgia College.