Education for African Americans before 1800 is seen to have been practically nonexistent and erratic as most people believed their education would lead to rebellion and disgruntlement in their entire lives in a major way. Illiteracy in Texas was very high sources stating that out of the 58,558 African Americans in Texas only 217 of them were literate, until in1865 when the United States Congress instituted the Freedmen’s Bureau which supervised and coordinated a large educational enterprise in the states of Maryland, Virginia, Texas and in many other states providing formal curriculums of reading, arithmetic, vocational training and in all aspects of learning.
Growing at that steady rate, the following year of 1866 saw the Freedmen’s Bureau reach ninety schools, forty three teachers and 4,590 students attending. Fluctuation and discrepancy of opinions was seen and in 1876 with the elimination of segregation which brought forth a single education system accommodating all children in Texas. Changes in the education sector were quite a magnificent number of developments including projects in mid 1960’s. The number of African Americans serving as teachers in vocational agriculture declined switching to white collar jobs that saw a significant increase of African Americans in professional positions that were formally dominated by the whites.
Notably, changes in education were seen to better year after year with even problems of poverty drooping to a great extent. Every child in Texas now had access to proper education with no discrimination or maginalisation of any kind. The lives of people in Texas especially those of African Americans who for long were perceived as slaves and denied education were gradually changed with the rights of every citizen respected. Several churches were started in Texas in collaboration with educational advancement forming a reputable base for knowledge and enlightenment of communities. Businesses were also started in line with education for instance Rev. Jacob Fontaine published a paper ‘Gold dollar’ which was the first African American – owned newspaper in Austine. With time amendments in the constitution and law accommodated African Americans and brought about equity which saw them acquiring small portions of land and many of them being sharecroppers.
In 1869 African American men’s right to vote which was included in the new constitution was recognized and close to ten African Americans served in various governmental offices. Finally the marginalized were getting closer to liberation and their dream to living in a free state and country did not fade away. In 1950 the Supreme Court of Texas ordered the integration of the law university of Texas. A number of changes were felt in various organizational structures which accommodated more African Americans. In Southern state for instance, the first African American House Representative was elected.
All these policies and strategies initiated by the Freedmen’s Bureau have brought about enormous and radical changes and effects to the lives of the citizens of Texas. The marginalized African Americans have acquired equal rights and freedom as of the natives of the state. To date, many institutions in sports, Academia, religion and culture have been put up as a result of plodding change in education from slavery to liberty. This is practically proven from the many sources broadcasting globally the state of education and the rise of professionalism in Texas.
With convention of these polices, coalitions of whites and blacks were established bringing forth similarity in Texas and in the entire America through unions which fought for the rights of all. The Southern Trity Commission signed and passed statutes to fight for the rights of the Indians who protested due to unfair play and their relocation. It ensured that the Indians got the right portion in regards to the relocation of their territory. Legalization of slave unions saw a couple of problematic issues solved accordingly. Everyone was entitled to fair treatment in all aspects, education, religion, employment and social status.
Collectively Freedmen’s Bureau policy and strategy are symbolic to date, evolving from slavery to liberty to the new civilization of the entire state of Texas. The gradual growth of civilization and liberty is reflected in the lives of those who selflessly fought for the right course. It is hence imperative to consciously commend the work done by this symbolic movement.
References
Phillips, U. B. (2006). American Negro slavery. Teddington, Middlesex [UK: Echo Library.
Wechsler, H. S., Goodchild, L. F., & Eisenmann, L. (2007). The history of higher education. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Pub.
Inikori, J. E. (1992). The Atlantic slave trade: Effects on economies, societies, and peoples in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Durham [u.a.: Duke Univ. Press.
