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3. How would you feel if you had to make your own things and live in their way?

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Every African American slave had a completely different living condition, whether it was good or bad. Some slaves had it good, like George and Elizabeth Fleming. They lived in a small two room cottage with only the appliances needed for everyday living. Most African Americans lived in a similar house. To the Flemings "... it holds the same warmth and feeling of security which their ides of a home depicts" (http://newdeal.feri.org/asn/asn09.htm#2). Slaves also spun their own cloth to make clothes, towels, etc. with a spinning wheel. On their plantation, slaves usually made their own shoes too. They usually had comfortable living conditions due to whatever their situation was.

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2. Compare conditions before and after the war. what are some differences and similarities you notice?

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4.  What would you do if you were a slave and were finally freed? Where would you go? What would you do?

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1.Why do you think they would want to fight in the war instead of remaining on plantations?

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Because the southern army refused to arm African American soldiers, many of them were used to "build fortifications and perform camp duties" (http://www.historynet.com/african-americans-in-the-civil-war). Even in the North, they were not always accepted as soldiers. "many Northern officers refused to believe black troops would fight, and so they were often assigned to non-combat duties or placed in the rear guarding railroads and bridges. Blacks also served as spies and scouts to the Union Army, providing valuable information about Confederate forces, plans, and familiar terrain." (http://www.historynet.com/african-americans-in-the-civil-war).

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Northern whites came down from the south and set up "Freedmen Shelters" to help out African Americans. Jerry Moore talked about where he stayed in these times, " The Yankee sojers and 'Progoe' law made thousands of darkies flock here for protection. The Ku Klux wasn't as strong here and this place was headquarters for the 'Freedman.' "

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Depending mostly on geography and where various slaves were located, many of them either enlisted in the Union Army or remained on plantations and life, for the most part, continued as normal. Life in the army sounds a lot more appealing than normal slave life, but they often faced discrimination even as soldiers. "Black Union soldiers did not receive equal pay or equal treatment. They were paid $10 a month, with $3 deducted from that pay for clothing—white soldiers received $13 a month with no clothing deduction—until June 1864, when Congress granted retroactive equal pay. Even in the North, racial discrimination was widespread and blacks were often not treated as equals by white soldiers. In addition, segregated units were formed with black enlisted men commanded by white officers and black non-commissioned officers. Some of the white officers had low opinions of their colored troops and failed to adequately train them." (http://www.historynet.com/african-americans-in-the-civil-war) Also, when African American soldiers were captured as prisoners of war, they often received harsher treatment than their white peers.

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After the war, many slaves had no where to go except to flee for the west and settle on unmarked territory.  But as for many others, they remained on the plantations and worked. African Americans  were given higher paid wages and better living conditions until they were able to leave. So, in a way, most were not completely "free" but they still were. The reconstruction of slavery and they're way of life including living conditiond would last all the way up until Martin Luther King Jr.'s time.

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Many African Americans enlisted to fight in the war, but some, like George Fleming, remained on plantations. While the war was going on all around them, some places were more afflicted than others. "During de war, food got kind of scarce but didn't nobody suffer none on our place. Lawd yes, we carried de farming right on while de war was gwine on. Marse Sam's boys went to de war, but dey come back all right. Dey sho had a home-coming time fer 'em when dey got back. I heard 'bout de Yankees coming through and 'stroying things, but I never seed none. Our place stood jes' like it was all enduring de war. I didn't see no Ku Klux, neither. " (George Fleming, South Carolina, Oct. 28th, 1987)

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                                                                  Slave Narrative: Living Conditions 

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                                                                  Slave Narrative: Living Conditions 

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By: Abby Ermer, Keely Rittenhouse, and Olivia Genteman