Freedman's Bureau

Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Hello Folks,
I am an actor who will be portraying an ex-Freedmen's Bureau worker. If anyone has knowledge about these men as people - background, training, attitudes, A BIOGRAPHY(!) - it would super helpful in helping guide me to a historically realistic generalized portrayal. The part is being added to a script that initially only dealt with sharecroppers, but would know expand audiences' knowledge and perception.
I appreciate all help.
 
John William De Forest wrote "A Union Officer in the Reconstruction" about his experiences in Greenville, South Carolina, where he served as a Freedman's Bureau agent in 1866. You can get it from Amazon for about $3.50. He's an excellent writer.
 
I would suggest Tourgee's A Fool's Errand and Bricks without Straw. Both were bestsellers after Reconstruction.
 
If anyone has knowledge about these men as people - background, training, attitudes, A BIOGRAPHY(!) -
I've actually been reading the records of the Freedmens Bureau in Goldsboro, North Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and Memphis, TN - but there are records available for every office location. If you happen to have a specific area of the country where this man might have been working, I can help you locate all kinds of records for that office - letters, orders, requests, requisitions, disbursements, complaints, court records, etc.

The Freedmen's Bureau had a fairly elaborate system of organization. There was an Assistant Commissioner, a Superintendent of Education, an Asst Inspector General, a Dispersing Officer/Quartermaster (sometimes combined; sometimes two separate positions) and a Surgeon in Chief for each state. Then there were tons of subordinate field offices. For example in Mississippi, there were 40 subordinate field offices. From what I can tell, there was either a sub-commissioner, a sub-assistant commissioner, or an "agent" in charge at each subordinate field office.

Once we have more information about the location, perhaps you can select an actual person you'd like to portray and we can help you locate and gather specific information?
 
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John William De Forest wrote "A Union Officer in the Reconstruction" about his experiences in Greenville, South Carolina, where he served as a Freedman's Bureau agent in 1866. You can get it from Amazon for about $3.50. He's an excellent writer.
Oh, That's really excellent news. I shall buy it and thank you!
 
I've actually been reading the records of the Freedmens Bureau in Goldsboro, North Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and Memphis, TN - but there are records available for every office location. If you happen to have a specific area of the country where this man might have been working, I can help you locate all kinds of records for that office - letters, orders, requests, requisitions, disbursements, complaints, court records, etc.

The Freedmen's Bureau had a fairly elaborate system of organization. There was an Assistant Commissioner, a Superintendent of Education, an Asst Inspector General, a Dispersing Officer/Quartermaster (sometimes combined; sometimes two separate positions) and a Surgeon in Chief for each state. Then there were tons of subordinate field offices. For example in Mississippi, there were 40 subordinate field offices. From what I can tell, there was either a sub-commissioner, a sub-assistant commissioner, or an "agent" in charge at each subordinate field office.

Once we have more information about the location, perhaps you can select an actual person you'd like to portray and we can help you locate and gather specific information?
Wow. So generous of you to offer such help.
The reality is - I will be presenting a fictitious character who was once in the Freedmen's Bureau and the play, which was presented several times years ago, is being rewritten to include my character where it will presented in full form to adult audiences in SC and NY and in truncated form to schools in NYC. Authenticity is part of the goal, along with telling a lesser known story from the time period.
Thank you.
 
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