Here's the tea on what happened after #Juneteenth:
Although General Order No. 3 was an important milestone, slavery didn't truly end that day. While it promised Black Texans equal rights, it also told them to stay on plantations as "employees." The formerly enslaved were encouraged to sign labor contracts with their former enslavers, leading to sharecropping — a system that often trapped Black folx in debt and poverty.
Despite these challenges, freedpeople persisted during the Reconstruction period (1865-1874). They voted, organized, demanded fair wages, educated themselves, worshiped freely, and held political office.
However, increasing violence and diminishing opportunities led many to establish their own communities, known as Freedman's Towns or Freedom Colonies. Between 1865 and 1930, over 500 Freedom Colonies were established across East Texas. These colonies provided safe havens where African Americans could reunite with loved ones and escape debt bondage and violence. One notable community was the Tenth Street Historic District in #Dallas, #Texas.
The settlement expanded as freedpeople purchased lots and built beautiful bungalow and craftsman-style homes. This area became a hub for social, political, and economic organizing. Excluded from white society, families here created a vibrant world of their own. They built their own economy with Black-owned businesses providing essential services and social spaces.
As the nation's largest and most-intact Freedman's Town, Tenth Street offers a rare view into Dallas's past and highlights the resilience of Black American communities everywhere.
Our work continues to document, preserve, and amplify Tenth Street's rich history. We — along with our partners Remembering Black Dallas + Katie Cross — recently received Juneteenth coverage highlighting these efforts. Check it out here:
* https://lnkd.in/gVYqXBuy
* https://lnkd.in/g4NsSDmV
* https://lnkd.in/gvdrzTKk
* https://lnkd.in/gQUJHCX3
#FreedomColonies #BlackHistory #TenthStreet #Reconstruction #History #Preservation
School Social Worker at Bellmore Elementary School District
1moCongratulations Nichole! It’s so awesome to acknowledge and celebrate the important work of our DSPs. Well done!