Cristine Hashimoto
1/13/2026
HI-202-02-1
Why did the Freedmen's Bureau struggle
The Freedman’s Bureau was created to help freed slaves to find family members that they
had been separated from, and to help them develop skills that could let them be selfsufficient. But during the Reconstruction period they struggled because Southern states
still had a tight grip on the rights of Black citizens who were still treated- basically- like
slaves. Another issue was that in 1866, President Andrew Johnson vetoed a bill that
enabled the Bureau to help the freedmen. There were other problems as well with funding
being taken, the KKK being on the rise, and other racially motivated attacks.