The Freedman’s Bureau Bill, which created the Freedman’s Bureau, was initiated by President Abraham Lincoln and was intended to last for one year after the end of the Civil War. It was passed on March 3, 1865, by Congress to aid former slaves through education, health care, and employment. It became a key agency during Reconstruction, assisting freedmen (freed ex-slaves) in the South. The Bureau was part of the United States Department of War. Headed by Union Army General Oliver O. Howard, the Bureau was operational from 1865 to 1872. It was disbanded under Lincoln’s successor, President Andrew Johnson.

Photo:A Bureau agent stands between armed groups of Southern whites and Freedmen in this 1868 picture from Harper’s Weekly.