Who are you?

• A Freedman.

What is a Freedman? 

• According to Merriam-Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: a person freed from slavery.

Who are the American Freedmen? 

• They are the families who were nationally emancipated from slavery in 1865, and their descendants who have since been forced to bear the burdens of the stain of slavery.

How many American Freedmen were emancipated in 1865?

• Approximately 4 Million. 

What is another name for Freedman? 

• Libertus and in Biblical Latin, Libertinus.

Define Libertinus. 

• Stong’s Greek 3032: i.e. either one who has been liberated from slavery, a freedman, or the son of a freedman. The etymology of Libertine is late 14c., "a freedman, an emancipated slave," from Latin libertinus "condition of a freedman.”

What is the condition of an American Freedman?

• The condition of an American Freedman is his status in society.

Is American Freedmen a status?  

• No. 'Freedmen' is the status, American Freedmen is the ethnic or population group name in America

What is Status? 

• According to Black’s Law Dictionary, a person’s legal condition, whether personal or proprietary.

What makes freedmen a legal condition? 

• That which is legal is based on or concerned with the law and it was the 13th Amendment that changed our families' status from slave to free (d). Subsequently, the 14th Amendment clarified and solidified our families' status as nationals and citizens of the United States. These Amendments were made the Supreme Law of the land, thus making Freedmen a legal condition i.e., a status.

Who are the Indian Freedmen? 

• The Cherokee Freedmen, Chickasaw Freedmen, Choctaw Freedmen, Creek Freedmen and Seminole Freedmen who were emancipated in 1866 via treaty enforcement by the United States government.

Are the American Freedmen and Indian Freedmen different people?

• Politically, yes; however, many of us are cousins.

Are there living Freedmen in today's times? 

• Yes.

Who are they?

• They are today, the descendants of emancipated Freedmen who wear the slave badge Black & used to wear the badges Negro and Colored.

How are descendants living today, Freedmen? 

• Per Sanguinem (by blood). We are the Sons and Daughters who inherited the conditions of Freedmen no different than inheriting our nationality, citizenship, ethnic & racial identities or our lineage & family names. It is our heritage.

Are Indian Freedmen still known as Freedmen today? 

• Yes, they are still identified as Freedmen today.

Why don’t the American Freedmen know they’re Freedmen? 

• Because reconstruction was short lived for American Freedmen (12 years approximately), and usage of the term fell out of favor for terms more suited to, and rooted in slavery (Black, Colored, and Negro). In comparison, reconstruction for the Black Indian Freedmen (Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, Seminole, and Cherokee), lasted until 1979 (113 years). These groups retained not only an understanding of the status, but also the name “Freedmen '' and because of this, in the present day, use as ethnic identifiers, names such as Cherokee Freedmen, Chickasaw Freedmen, Choctaw Freedmen, etc. 

Who resurrected the American Freedmen name and brought it back to the family?

• Be The Power:  Ali Freedman, Grem Freedman, Josh Freedman, Logic Freedman & Nyhiem Freedman.

What's the name of their Freedmen organization?

• The United Sons & Daughters of Freedmen.

Why is all of this important?

• As reparationists, we stand in the shoes of our ancestors and it's important to preserve their legacy which we've inherited and carry with us on our continued journey towards true freedom, justice and equality.