Figure 1.--This CDV was entiteled "Learnung is wealth. Wilson, Charley, Rebecca & Rosa. Slaces from New Orleans." New Orleans was the first large Southern city taken by Federal troops. It was part of the Federal effort to take control of the Mississippi River and cut the Confederacy in two. It was also the Southern cirt with the most pronounced incidence of race mixing. The mulatto children here were used to generate contributions for freed slaves. They were used for a series of photographs. Notably white-looking children were chosen. I'm not sure how much money was raised or how it was used. Put your cursor on the image to see the back.

The Civil War created a great humanitarian crisis. There was no provision made for the slaves that rushed to the Federal lines or those slaves in liberated areas. Some followed the Federal units. Here there was some employment as there were arange of military condtruction tasks to be performed. Other set up camps in Washington, D.C. and other areas. Again the Federal Government made no effort to provide fopd and shelter. The focus was on winning the War. I believe that there were find raising efforts in the North to assist the contrabands and after the Empancipation Proclamation, the freed slaves. We know very little about the find raising at this time.

Created: 8:32 PM 10/29/2007
Last updated: 8:33 PM 10/29/2007