"Contraband" School
ca. 1860 - 1865
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During the early months of the Civil War in August of 1861, Congress passed, and President Lincoln signed, the First Confiscation Act. It stated that the Union could seize and confiscate property used in the Confederate war effort – including enslaved people. The Union Army set up camps to provide relief, including shelter, rations, clothing, medical attention, education, and employment. The term ''contraband''— property confiscated in war—was given to enslaved people who escaped, or were freed as the Union Army advanced. This photograph shows students at a "contraband" school.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 529344
Full Citation: Photograph 111-B-5240; 'Contraband' School; ca. 1860 - 1865; Mathew Brady Photographs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes, 1921 - 1940; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group 111; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/contraband-school, April 26, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.