Juneteenth, dating back to June 19th, 1865, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and many communities across the nation hold special celebrations. In observance of this day, FamilySearch has announced the release of additional online Freedmen’s Bureau Records. The new additions are currently viewable as digital images but the data will become searchable as volunteers create an index.
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (often called the Freedmen’s Bureau) was created in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War to supervise relief efforts including education, health care, food and clothing, refugee camps, legalization of marriages, employment, labor contracts, and securing back pay, bounty payments and pensions. These records include letters and endorsements sent and received, account books, applications for rations, applications for relief, court records, labor contracts, registers of bounty claimants, registers of complaints, registers of contracts, registers of disbursements, registers of freedmen issued rations, registers of patients, reports, rosters of officers and employees, special and general orders and circulars received, special orders and circulars issued, records relating to claims, court trials, property restoration, and homesteads.
Researchers examining this era or tracing family history back through time on the Delmarva Peninsula will find a lot of material to help them with their investigations.
I have only had a few minutes to examine this exciting primary source this morning, but here are the links to get you started. The records have always been available, but a trip to the Archives was required to access them. Be sure to read the full description of the records group, to get an idea of how to best approach this body of material.
Click here to view the records.
