Citizen or Laborer? The Social Purposes of Black Schooling in Reconstruction Mississippi, 1862--1875
This study researches, from the freedmen's perspective, the educational history of Mississippi's postbellum black masses between 1862--1875; the period commonly referred to as the Reconstruction era. It has a twofold purpose. First and foremost it highlights Mississippi blacks' educational progression within the state's turbulent postbellum political economy. This is inclusive of Mississippi blacks' independent educational activities, their combined efforts with the various northern-based missionary associations in postwar Mississippi, and local whites' responses to Mississippi blacks' various schooling opportunities. Concomitantly, this study demonstrates that Mississippi blacks' schooling opportunities had a definite social purpose, however, this purpose varied based each of the aforementioned groups' expectations of Mississippi blacks in slavery's aftermath. For example, overwhelmingly Mississippi blacks sought an education to enhance their overall opportunities as state citizens in slavery's aftermath, most northerners promoted black schooling as a way to assist the state's ex-slaves and demonstrate their ability to be both effective citizens and laborers in the state. Comparably, Mississippi whites sought control over Mississippi blacks' schooling opportunities to promote their own self-interest. As such, this study offers a detailed educational history of how this postbellum contention unfolded.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign