letters

Official Monthly Reports (1865-1868)

Bureau Agents at the local and district levels were required to file reports on a monthly and quarterly basis which summarized the general condition of freedmen under their jurisdiction. These reports contain a wealth of information which spans all themes and topics. Topics of commentary included the condition of schools in the area, how many freedmen were able to find jobs and at what wages, how many people received material aid from the Bureau, and the state of the judicial system, as well as crime levels. But they also talked about the “moral development” of the black community in terms of marriage relations and temperance. Relations between blacks and whites also received considerable attention.