letters

Administration of Roswell Waldo (November 1868-December 1868)

Waldo begins his tenure as the Bureau agent in Augusta disgusted by how whites openly deceive and cheat their black employees. Many of the letters during this period address the condition of Augusta schools, which Waldo feels are not ready for the new season of students, and securing teachers. Waldo argues that the legal system is tainted by white prejudice, and reports that local blacks fear the end of the Bureau’s tenure at the close of the year. In the meantime, though, Waldo deals with court cases, legal disputes, and freedmen searching for displaced family members.