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Freedmen's Bureau

American

[freed-menz byoor-oh] / ˈfrid mɛnz ˌbyʊər oʊ /

noun

U.S. History.

an agency of the War Department set up in 1865 to assist formerly enslaved people, freed from slavery by emancipation, in obtaining relief, land, jobs, fair treatment, and education.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By 1867, Congress was legislating on the subject, creating a federal Department of Education to work alongside the Freedmen’s Bureau and continue its work after the bureau inevitably wound down.

From Slate • Feb. 6, 2025

The Freedmen's Bureau, in place to help Black Americans after the Civil War, put out a call for medical personnel.

From Scientific American • Nov. 2, 2023

It ignores laws like the Freedmen's Bureau Act, enacted at the same time as the 14th Amendment in an intentionally race-conscious way.

From Salon • Jul. 17, 2023

Williams cites the Freedmen’s Bureau, which Washington established in former Confederate states to provide legal protection and economic assistance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2023

“Did Jake have to register at the Freedmen’s Bureau before he left the state?”

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023