Journeys
Start Here
The Family
The Evidence
Explore
The Work
Take Part
1 · Laura's story · 1865–1870
Two named appearances. A life still to recover.
What did freedom mean for Laura? Begin with what the records actually say.
Amberly Carter-Mills
2 · Historical background · not evidence
The Bureau was created in March 1865 to oversee the transition out of slavery. Its work included labor agreements, schools and disputes.
This history does not tell us when Laura learned she was free, or what she experienced.
BT-CTX-00584 · Background dossier
4 · Research questions · not a historical document
A changed legal world is not a complete account of one woman's life.
Before Till · Historical dossier
Historical context
Mississippi · 1865–1870
Before Till · the question we began with
“What do the records show about Laura's transition to freedom?”
What the records tell us
What they can't tell us
Where our evidence begins.
Chapter 3 · Freedom
What can we establish about Laura's transition from slavery to freedom between 1865 and 1870?
