The Bureau of Refugees, Freemen, and Abandoned Lands, often referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865. The duties of the Freedmen’s Bureau included supervision of all affairs relating to refugees, freedmen, and the custody of abandoned lands and property. These documents come from the Records of the Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia, Series 5: Registered Letters Received.
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Registered letters received, January 1868–September 1870, are arranged in order of entry in the register. The file citation on the letter includes the alphabetical heading under which it is entered, the entry number, volume, and year. In the few instances where the entry number on a letter does not correspond to the entry number in the register, the NARS staff annotated the correct number in brackets.
Both series of letters received cover various subjects. Most letters received were concerned with the organization and operation of Bureau schools, including freedmen's schools in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Delaware. Most of the letters were written by teachers, representatives of benevolent societies, and Bureau agents. Teachers sought compensation for expenses and transportation, payment of salaries, and school supplies and complained about inadequate support. Aid societies sought positions for unassigned teachers and information relating to teachers in the field. Bureau agents wrote reports concerning periodic inspections of schools, problems encountered with local citizens, schools attendance, teacher competency, and the physical condition of schools. Other correspondents include freedmen seeking Bureau support in the construction of new schools and persons seeking employment as teachers.