Freedman's Village: Harper's Weekly, September 30, 1865

As former slaves were emancipated, abandoned or escaped during the Civil War, they faced the harsh reality of finding food, shelter, and the other necessities of life. These former slaves were called ìcontrabands.î The federal government provided assistance by creating ìcontraband camps,î which provided shelter and the basics of life to the needy. Many of the camps were built in the Washington, D.C. area, on both sides of the Potomac River.

While these camps provided assistance, they quickly became overcrowded and disease-infested.In 1863, Freedmenís Village was built on the site of the Custis-Lee family estate, which had been captured during the early part of the war. The village allowed ìcontrabandsî to live and work in the open air, and was a self-sustaining community, with a hospital, a school, and a chapel. While most camps were closed after the war ended, inhabitants of Freedmenís Village stayed, purchasing their abodes and land for farming. They resisted several attempts at eviction. The camp eventually closed in 1900, after the residents were reimbursed for the price of their homes and for the taxes they paid during the war to sustain the camp.

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