What Actually Happened When Slaves Were Freed

American schoolchildren are taught that the slaves in confederate states were freed when Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. However, while that may be true in a technical sense, the reality of actually freeing those slaves was far more complicated.

#EmancipationProclamation #Juneteenth #WeirdHistory

[elijahragland]

It’s not like they decided to stay...they literally had no money or means to leave their vicious captors.

[TheSquadlife]

Honestly slavery is vile and disgusting BUT I can’t imagine the existential crisis and anxiety of “freedom”. Like where do you go from there, how would you be treated, where do you start, where do you get property etc etc etc. I would be so overwhelmed

There are some amazing interviews with former slaves on YouTube from the early 20th century where they discuss this topic. I remember more than one of them used the phrase “turned out like cattle” to describe what happened after they were freed. They were no longer slaves, which was obviously an improvement but they were turfed out to fend for themselves with no money and nowhere to live. I think people forget that ending slavery was only the first step forward for these people and their lives remained very hard.

[jeanhind]

It's incredible that all this happened recently enough in history to be captured in photographs! Brings it home..

[niclash]

We can all be glad we don‘t have to endure such pain like they did.

[scottpeg]

White owner: "Ok, well, you're free to go."

*Awkward silence*

"Soooo, we good?"

[EvanYoungMusic]

It’s crazy to think slavery was a thing… people are just cruel.

[llcoolrainejackson]

The idea of owning another person, and treating them like animals is horrendous and appalling, in every way, shame on all involved, and all who looked away!

[NewMessage]

Wait... some slave owners lied about it?



I'm starting to think them slave owner folk might not have been very good people... 🤔

[-NateTheGreat]

Imagine if Abe had Twitter to announce slaves were freed.

[andyd]

This should be CONTINUED to be taught in schools.

[jimdavis]

From a book years ago I learned that many left the plantation the very day they were freed. However, once they got off the property, they realized they didn't have anywhere to go. Many of them soon returned to the edge of the land, sitting along the road with no place to go. In their case, freedom really was a word for nothing left to lose.

[pamelamays]

I suspect it was a gradual change. News didn't travel as fast as it does today.

[evirareid]

I read a slave account from a lady who was maybe 20 when she was freed. She said the master called a meeting and told them they were free. Everyone was upset because a meeting usually meant someone would be sold. Anyway none of them knew what he saying and they all just went back to working. Then a union man came and told them in simple terms and they all left.

[isabelleboulay]

Some stayed as employees so they can save enough to purchase their own land and home. Not only was it unthinkable changes but without any currency, where would they live? At least there, they had living quarters, they knew the work and stayed with their loved ones.

[Victor-ktqn]

As a Mexican I'm more than certain some of my ancestors were slaves, same for most Mexicans.
I've went to the places there in Mexico they worked slaves to death. Most recently a place where they smelter metals to send back to Spain.
It was absolutely horrible. I'm certain that place is haunted. Tiny little places to sleep in, barely enough for everyone to lay down. Surrounded by walls. It was horrible hearing how most slaves there would've probably met their end.
And to think the Spanish crown still refuses to admit it didn't anything wrong while ruling its colonies. "In their right" they say.

[vikkikenneth]

It's so weird to think that I would have been a slave if I was born in the wrong generation and or in the wrong place, I would be owned by someone, that's just so messed up😔

[monacoofthebluepacific]

My formerly enslaved gr gr grandparents (born in the 1840s) left the plantation but lived elsewhere in the city using their skills and connections to work and survive. Eventually my grandmother, along with her parents and siblings, left the plantation state (in 1920) to move to the Midwest for better opportunities and to get away from the kkk.

[stroNgthaBoNethaMax]

This is like me learning history in history class all over again. Only now I'm more interested this time.

[geosand]

This video from Weird History really touched me as being one of the BEST so far for its detailed profound description of those times! Excellent work!