From: jennifer shaub
Date: 4/27/00
Time: 2:41:10 AM
Remote Name: 155.247.244.15
Jennifer Shaub Weekly report 4/27/00
Immediately following the emancipation, many slave owners still refused to free their slaves. If their slaves did attempt to obtain their freedom, they were often beaten severely. It was not until General Lee surrendered that the Southern slave owners began to accept the fact that the era of slavery was over. Even still, some slave owners did not inform their slaves of their freedom. Very few whites assisted former slaves or gave them any compassion. As soon as the slaves learned of their freedom, they left their ‘home.’ Many of them ended up returning for work, food, and shelter, but most all slaves had a burning desire to experience freedom. Immediately after they became free, some slaves believed they did not have to work. They thought that this privilege came along with freedom. Most freed slaves ended up working on farms and plantations. Most of them found themselves in a better working environment with one significant difference- the freedom to leave. The white plantation owners still did not treat the freed slaves fairly. The relationship between freed slaves and white men can be best understood by an explanation someone who lived through it. "It was usually hate on one side and dogged stubbornness on the other." The freed slaves had an understandable anger and hatred towards their former owner. Whereas, former slave owner were usually just too stubborn to move forward and treat former slaves as human beings. Primary sources are an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between former slaves and their owners. Journals of former slaves, and their personal accounts of the first few months of freedom, would be quite helpful when attempting to understand their experience. Also, it is important to understand both sides of the issue. Therefore, any narrative, maybe a news editorial, describing the freeing of slaves from the slaveowners view would be useful information