Emancipation's Impact on African-American Education in Norfolk, Virginia, 1862-1880

Abstract

The importance of the changes brought by emancipation can scarcely be exaggerated. While enslaved, African Americans were denied the opportunity to participate in the political arena, own prop erty, receive an education, and enter into a free contractual arrangement with employ ers. With emancipation, African Ameri cans embarked on a vigorous affirmation of their newly-won status by insisting on directing their lives in these and __. other areas. These changes, howev er, varied depending upon the politi cal economy and location of the African-American community. The African-American community in Nor folk, for example, asserted itself in ways essential to its perceived inter ests. One of the areas uppermost in the minds of many black Norfolk residents was education. The educa