What was the main goal of the Freedmen's Bureau during Reconstruction?

The Freedmen's Bureau was established in 1865 with a primary objective of assisting newly freed slaves in the South after the Civil War. It aimed to help these individuals transition from slavery to freedom by providing a range of services, including food, housing, medical aid, education, and legal assistance. The bureau played a crucial role in addressing the immediate needs of freedmen and women, helping them to secure their rights and navigate the challenges they faced in a society that had previously denied them basic human rights.

While promoting education and helping rebuild Southern economies were also components of the bureau's activities, the central focus remained on addressing the specific needs of formerly enslaved individuals. The Freedmen's Bureau was pivotal in establishing schools and educational opportunities for African Americans, but its foundational purpose was to support their integration into a society that had largely excluded them from rights and resources.

The enforcement of Jim Crow laws is not related to the mission of the Freedmen's Bureau, as those laws were enacted later to codify racial segregation and discrimination in the South, contrary to the bureau's goals of promoting equality and assisting African Americans in their new status as free citizens.