Land: Giving Rise to the Famous Phrase 40 Acres & a Mule

As the Union declared victory over the Confederacy, post-Civil War life seemed to be off to a good start for freed slaves. William Tecumseh Sherman, a former Union general, sat with 20 black ministers to develop a plan to remedy the harsh treatment of black people.
The phrase “40 acres and a mule” - a promise to former slaves - would be hatched from this meeting. Unfortunately, President Andrew Johnson would renege on this promise and many families never saw this promise come to fruition. While land ownership would have been a step in the right direction, negotiations robbed black families of an opportunity to invest in an economic future with.
In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Evelynn Hammonds of Harvard University and Farah Griffin of Columbia University, we uncover the turbulent history of land ownership and the challenges black people faced in America.
Black History in Two Minutes (or so) is a 2x Webby Award winning series.
Archival Materials Courtesy of:
Alamy Images
Everett Collection, Inc.
Getty Images
Library of Congress
Executive Producers:
Robert F. Smith
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Dyllan McGee
Deon Taylor
Music By:
Oovra Music
Be Woke presents is brought to you by Robert F. Smith and Deon Taylor.
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'Black History in Two Minutes' is also available on Apple and Google podcasts.
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Пікірлер: 138

  • @antoniaebron-brown6169
    @antoniaebron-brown61693 жыл бұрын

    This helped a lot for my homework.

  • @alleplays7902

    @alleplays7902

    3 жыл бұрын

    Very

  • @msunderstood9907
    @msunderstood990710 ай бұрын

    This is 2023 almost 2024 and we black people gotta start helping and supporting each other. I sure would like to see this happen during my lifetime. We're so powerful we can do it!!!

  • @ruthquetant7375
    @ruthquetant737511 ай бұрын

    I so appreciate these lessons in our history. Thank you so much 💓

  • @TreyPDB
    @TreyPDB4 жыл бұрын

    i get so heated hearing this

  • @galndixie
    @galndixie10 ай бұрын

    Sherman gave this order, General Order #15, months before the end of the war, the US didn't own the land Sherman was giving away, it was simply land conquered by Sherman. The Federal Government needed to ensure that the Confederates would not come back to try to retrieve their land, so that the Union would remain in control of the area. The Union Army was also in a dilemma about what to do with the ever-increasing numbers of Blacks who were coming into the Union camps to be cared for. Giving them this land would keep the contrabands out of the Union camps, and relieve the military of the burden of feeding and housing them. The mule didn't come in until months later, when the US Army had a surplus of mules that were idle and unused. Sherman, who was in charge of the area under Martial Law, thought it would be economical for the army to loan (not give) the mules to black farmers, relieving the military of the cost of care of these mules, but retaining their rights to retrieve them whenever necessary. It was decided by US President Andrew Johnson that this order was illegal and unenforceable, and the land was returned to its original owners. The Freedman's Bureau brokered deals with some of the owners and offered many of these Blacks the opportunity to remain on this land as paid workers or as share-croppers. The Freedman's Bureau did not 'give' land to the freed Blacks, the land was to be leased by the freed Blacks, with the intent of buying it. They would be supplied with farm tools, seeds, and a pair of mules to work the land, and must pay their leases and debts when the crops came in and were sold. You had the Federal Government, the Military, and the Freedman's Bureau, all with differing ideas and goals, each writing their own rules as they went along, in conflict with each other, and investors and abolitionists all advertising their own goals and ideas as if they were legal precedent. It was a complicated, confusing and repeatedly reversing process, by any stretch of the imagination, and clearly none of it fair to anybody involved.

  • @floorgang2875
    @floorgang28753 жыл бұрын

    “40 acres and a mule mean they worked us off the land” Mozzy

  • @kingdc7017

    @kingdc7017

    3 жыл бұрын

    Liberia exists

  • @dallasboringnews7157
    @dallasboringnews71573 жыл бұрын

    Great channel! 10/10

  • @toddmaek5436
    @toddmaek54364 жыл бұрын

    Reparations for ADOS

  • @kingdc7017

    @kingdc7017

    3 жыл бұрын

    Liberia exists you uneducated simp

  • @hakeemsd70m

    @hakeemsd70m

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kingdc7017 The only uneducated one is you. Also, you're using the term simp incorrectly.

  • @wardatkins1320

    @wardatkins1320

    Жыл бұрын

    All in favor " say I "

  • @fairfredit
    @fairfredit Жыл бұрын

    I wish my neighbor didn't steel my candy bar when I was 12. Reparations now

  • @heypookeybearitisi
    @heypookeybearitisi4 жыл бұрын

    Where can I support your work? Do you have a patreon?

  • @jamesedwards1164
    @jamesedwards11645 ай бұрын

    We cannot have equity & equality in the present until we address the inequalities of our history.

  • @stephaniecheema7964
    @stephaniecheema79645 ай бұрын

    No restitution …. An “apology” ….

  • @superduperdave
    @superduperdave3 жыл бұрын

    The country "chose not to do it". What will we get from HR40?

  • @daphneepaul3737

    @daphneepaul3737

    3 жыл бұрын

    40 acres and a Tesla

  • @kingdc7017

    @kingdc7017

    3 жыл бұрын

    Liberia literally exists

  • @hakeemsd70m

    @hakeemsd70m

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kingdc7017 Means nothing, when Liberia has been systematically pillaged by the West ever since its foundation.

  • @kingdc7017

    @kingdc7017

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@hakeemsd70m Thats factually a demonstrable LIE. The only westerners who moved to Liberia were African Americans. So if you are going to blame anyone blame African Americans who btw were given this land to do as they please.

  • @hakeemsd70m

    @hakeemsd70m

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kingdc7017 You seem to be implying that African Americans can't be successful and/or are destructive. If only history was as simple as your one dimensional summary displays it as. I'm sorry but you don't really seem to know the true history of Liberia.

  • @erikmolnar6585
    @erikmolnar65852 жыл бұрын

    Sounds like a false promise made by a bunch of folks who were scared by the newly freed folks they exploited? I don't know but they should have given those people that land.

  • @reworkgaming1202

    @reworkgaming1202

    Жыл бұрын

    Lincoln’s early death made it Andrew Jackson’s fault, signed a deal with southern democrats during reconstruction that stopped the 40 acres

  • @hughesdanny9376
    @hughesdanny93762 жыл бұрын

    While the government busy apologize to African American While quickly compensating other indigenous groups, not fair or right.

  • @ak102986
    @ak1029865 ай бұрын

    Minus the fact that it was a military order and not something done by Congress/civilian government.

  • @brooklove90
    @brooklove90 Жыл бұрын

    They could have at least given them, my ancestors, half the land they worked for!!? Like God damn greedy af

  • @maureencora1
    @maureencora110 ай бұрын

    2023 Wish I Had 40 Acres & SUV Land Rover Defender 110 V8. I Can Dream, Can't I? (smile)

  • @evocybernation8839
    @evocybernation8839 Жыл бұрын

    Some of this video was removed... I see MseeF in the comments section, providing a timestamp, but the video no longer goes that far... GOOGLE! What the hell did you remove? If I have to, and I can do the research, and if I find the video and there is more than what is provided, I'll throw you under the bus and provide the rest of the video to Twitter.

  • @pwhales264
    @pwhales26410 ай бұрын

    *#B1-#ADOS-#FBA-#FREEDMEN-#CUTTHECHECK-#REPARATIONS #DONTVOTEBLUEorRED* "We have No friends"- Dr.John Henrik Clarke

  • @nolag7581
    @nolag7581 Жыл бұрын

    Keep your apology. I want that land.👍🏽

  • @gbh5912

    @gbh5912

    Жыл бұрын

    Stop believing in promises, law rules the land

  • @stevenmcgillivray9283

    @stevenmcgillivray9283

    Жыл бұрын

    Why? it's not your land.

  • @MargaritaGarza-ck8ll
    @MargaritaGarza-ck8ll9 ай бұрын

    Who are the mule?

  • @biggboynews1089
    @biggboynews1089 Жыл бұрын

    👊👊👊👍

  • @tyroneburnett5640
    @tyroneburnett5640 Жыл бұрын

    Why are we still talking we all need to know this we need to take back what’s they Got from just like they took it from us what we need to take it back👀 what’s do you think black brothers sisters real talk 🔥👁✊🏿🛸👌🏾💯💪🏾 Let’s all come together as one my brothers and sister

  • @JD-ii5wr

    @JD-ii5wr

    Жыл бұрын

    Brother are you even speaking English?

  • @jefferyfowler7860

    @jefferyfowler7860

    Жыл бұрын

    @@JD-ii5wr He's high

  • @llamaface6229
    @llamaface62292 жыл бұрын

    Thats 1,750,000 sq ft

  • @_7.8.6
    @_7.8.63 жыл бұрын

    They got Juneteenth and platitudes instead 🤦🏼‍♂️

  • @hydrolito
    @hydrolito3 жыл бұрын

    Mules don't reproduce a horse or donkey would be better.

  • @daphneepaul3737

    @daphneepaul3737

    3 жыл бұрын

    That’s y they wanted to give us one. I just want my 40 acres abs a Tesla and I’m good.

  • @kingdc7017

    @kingdc7017

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@daphneepaul3737 youll get 40 acres in liberia (the country that was literally gifted to African Americans which you immediately turned into a sh*thole)

  • @uluzistherealest

    @uluzistherealest

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kingdc7017 by your own definition America is also a shit hole. I don't know how everyone tries to get around that fact.

  • @bandzobrand1726
    @bandzobrand17265 ай бұрын

    “Pit5Watcher” (Balilana) Small

  • @alexluthor7215
    @alexluthor72152 жыл бұрын

    Pass a bill that does nothing , I can study at home 🤣

  • @sdothoward2743
    @sdothoward27438 ай бұрын

    We got lied to

  • @KinggOfHearts
    @KinggOfHearts3 жыл бұрын

    The End..

  • @vinishaanand8280
    @vinishaanand82805 ай бұрын

    Pit5 watcher + xl

  • @belindalfrazier6628
    @belindalfrazier6628 Жыл бұрын

    PLEASE GET IN CONTACT WITH ME LOUIS HENRY GATES MY FAMILY NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH THIS

  • @michaelalexander2141
    @michaelalexander214111 ай бұрын

    Every word out of their mouth is a lie when you see them coming run the other way to all mankind

  • @e-dog-e619
    @e-dog-e61910 ай бұрын

    Reparations God is real. And So is his judgment day. Where's our Reparations🦶🏿🦶🏿

  • @hexna
    @hexna4 жыл бұрын

    Who’s here for school work hahaha

  • @ironsurge1017

    @ironsurge1017

    3 жыл бұрын

    Here from two songs

  • @bluewolfgamez5001

    @bluewolfgamez5001

    3 жыл бұрын

    me

  • @alleplays7902

    @alleplays7902

    3 жыл бұрын

    Meeew

  • @chattyash
    @chattyash4 жыл бұрын

    Reparations now!

  • @MikeC-my4lf

    @MikeC-my4lf

    3 жыл бұрын

    The United States bought slaves...that's bad. The people that sold them were worse. We should track down the ancestors of the people that gathered those people up to be sold and make them pay. Wait a second, the ancestors of those people will still be in Africa and the United States. Oh man. Now what do we do.

  • @MikeC-my4lf

    @MikeC-my4lf

    3 жыл бұрын

    The United States bought slaves...that's bad. The people that sold them were worse. We should track down the ancestors of the people that gathered those people up to be sold and make them pay. Wait a second, the ancestors of those people will still be in Africa and the United States. Oh man. Now what do we do.

  • @yourdedcat-qr7ln

    @yourdedcat-qr7ln

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@MikeC-my4lf naw just give us judical jurisdiction over our ppl and let us claim our own nationality and we good

  • @MikeC-my4lf

    @MikeC-my4lf

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@yourdedcat-qr7ln I am a veteran...we didn't see race in the military...to an extent... different time where people could talk without getting offended.. real talk. We all understood the black-white thing. I remember we had a black Command Sergeant Major that walked up on a group of black troops that were talkin shit and calling each other "nigga". CSM McGriff didn't pay that shit. Locked them all up at attention and said "You dumb mother fuckas! Let that word die. Y'all don't know the shit I've lived through. That word needs to die. You know damn well if a white soldier said that shit you'd be fightin. If a white soldier can't say it, neither can you." Won't forget that. That man grew up through bullshit in this country...a country he was willing to die for. Let that sink in for a second. That man lived through racial garbage in a country he was willing to die for because he saw a better tomorrow. He truly believed in the honorable Dr Martin Luther King Jr's hopeful world where children would "NOT be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character". Dr King was a patriot. He loved this country. By the way "Free at last, free at last" doesn't happen in Socialist countries where the government rules and everyone is poor. Last...my oath of enlistment to protect our country and it's freedom ends when I die...I'd take a bullet so you can be free... actually, I'm service disabled...don't like to talk about that. So I leave you with something to think about...you want sovereignty...how are your communities doing...are there a bunch of single moms with no dad around...how is the crime rate by people in your own communities...do most kids try to get an education and read...do the people that finally get a good job that were struggling stay in your communities or do they move to a different community...

  • @yourdedcat-qr7ln

    @yourdedcat-qr7ln

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@MikeC-my4lf what is the cause you think of all those things my community is plagued for? The government never purposely sabotaged the communities you speak of? Is there absolutely no example of intellectualization with people of my community? No one amongst all of us can lead us to something better?

  • @tarryn2881
    @tarryn28815 ай бұрын

    PIT5watcher & size small

  • @beebtv
    @beebtv2 жыл бұрын

    Slavery was wrong then and now. Wish folks cared about today's slaves more.

  • @joesmith5247

    @joesmith5247

    Жыл бұрын

    & they don’t

  • @santiagofigueroarojas2848
    @santiagofigueroarojas28482 жыл бұрын

    40 acres and a mule? A piano a guitar?

  • @nicksoup_

    @nicksoup_

    Жыл бұрын

    anything see my name is Lucy I'm your dog

  • @onceagain9617
    @onceagain9617 Жыл бұрын

    We should take care of Native Americans first

  • @BuildCompanyEl

    @BuildCompanyEl

    Жыл бұрын

    No. Take care of the people who built the country.

  • @ulivolga228
    @ulivolga2282 жыл бұрын

    40 acres of Native American land. Did black folks care that they were being offered land that belonged to other indigenous people? And a mule. What would they do? Farm land they were unfamiliar with? With an animal they were unfamiliar with? Try to grow cotton and tobacco in Arizona? Neither of which is food. Would they fence off the property? Maybe trade farming skills and labor with locals in exchange for free housing. Occupying stolen land and exchanging free labor for housing.

  • @toldya3505

    @toldya3505

    2 жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/fWF6qZSoh8-TYs4.html

  • @uluzistherealest

    @uluzistherealest

    2 жыл бұрын

    Did the homesteaders get asked those same questions? I'm sure not since they were all genocidal maniacs.

  • @ulivolga228

    @ulivolga228

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@uluzistherealest That was the whole point of my comment.

  • @poloblack7408

    @poloblack7408

    2 жыл бұрын

    An what’s your solution for free slaves given no compensation or money to survive!? Y’all say the dumbest shit without thinking

  • @poloblack7408

    @poloblack7408

    2 жыл бұрын

    An you forget free slaves doesn’t mean white people are trying to house them for trades and shit! Get real

  • @rockinmama007
    @rockinmama0073 жыл бұрын

    Wonder if this pertains to all with African DNA

  • @2ndstreetmedia171

    @2ndstreetmedia171

    10 ай бұрын

    I'm pretty sure a certain percentage

  • @edwinsandel7438
    @edwinsandel74383 жыл бұрын

    Slavery was wrong.. General Sherman had no legal right to declare his 40 acres and a mule as he was a general , not a dictator. Congress never passed the 40 acres and a mule. Generals cannot make law. It was a great idea however it was not law.

  • @greatjamahiriya8591

    @greatjamahiriya8591

    2 жыл бұрын

    He did have a legal right to declare this, as it was a special order approved by the Department of War. The argument that you've made is the equivelent of saying that the President has no right to draft executive orders. Special and executive orders aren't forms of legislation, but rather executive policy.

  • @logicalspirit5358

    @logicalspirit5358

    2 жыл бұрын

    It was turned into a law. Learn history

  • @cpsupport6441

    @cpsupport6441

    Жыл бұрын

    That’s what white people say when they aren’t gonna pay us for slavery it’s okay I’ll have 30 grandchildren in America 🇺🇸 when it’s all said and done so I win 🥇 🙏🏿 rip all my ANNCESTORS 🙏🏿 we didn’t get the land but we will never be a victim again not on my 15 kids watch

  • @belindalfrazier6628

    @belindalfrazier6628

    Жыл бұрын

    THIS ORDER WAS HANDED DOWN AND EXECUTED BY THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF

  • @phillip_ino

    @phillip_ino

    Жыл бұрын

    The land was not the generals to give away. All that land was Cherokee Muskogee and Seminole land.

  • @PaulD-jh8wq
    @PaulD-jh8wq2 жыл бұрын

    The us was tring to keep the county united. Seems no other choice. How can you give any citizen anothers land and expect peace. All should have gone west and made there own claim like others with nothing did. Shouldn't depend on government for anything they always over promise and under deliver

  • @reworkgaming1202

    @reworkgaming1202

    Жыл бұрын

    The US gave plenty of land to native Americans as reparations for expansion. Not easy to up and move to a new land with no people or infrastructure with no money or skills to do it. Some did but that’s the key thing, they did not have skills

  • @SheSweetLikSugarNSavage
    @SheSweetLikSugarNSavage3 жыл бұрын

    🙄 oh lord! Not this again

  • @2ndstreetmedia171

    @2ndstreetmedia171

    10 ай бұрын

    I'm going to assume you're white, just an assumption.

  • @williammatthews7252
    @williammatthews72523 жыл бұрын

    PROPERTY CANT OWN PROPERTY

  • @NoahBodze
    @NoahBodze9 ай бұрын

    You all do know that among the so many things you’re terrible at, farming is one of those things, yeah?

  • @pumasaysrawrr2269
    @pumasaysrawrr22695 ай бұрын

    PIT5watcher medium