African Americans in the Post–Civil War Era

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Student Question

What challenges did ex-slaves face in the US after their emancipation?

Quick answer:

After emancipation, ex-slaves faced significant economic and social challenges. Economically, they struggled due to limited job opportunities and a lack of resources, as most only had agricultural skills but no land or capital to farm independently. Socially, they encountered hostility from surrounding white communities, which complicated their efforts to build a free society. Despite these obstacles, they worked to establish communities, including churches and social clubs, to support their new lives.

Expert Answers

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I would say that the most important challenge that the freed slaves faced was economic.  They had very few opportunities for making a living.  Most specifically, most slaves' only skill was agricultural.  So it made sense for them to become farmers but they had no land and no money to use to buy the seeds, livestock, tools, etc that they would need to set up as farmers on their own.

In addition, there was the social challenge they faced.  The whites who surrounded them had only bad feelings for them.  In the face of this and their economic problems, they had to go about creating a free society for themselves (with churches, families, clubs, etc) for the first time.

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