The Freedmen's Bureau was supposed to supervise and manage all matters relating to refugees and freedmen and lands abandoned or seized during the Civil War. This included:
- Providing food, clothing, and shelter to refugees and freedmen.
- Helping freedmen find jobs and land.
- Establishing schools for freedmen.
- Overseeing labor contracts between freedmen and employers.
- Managing confiscated or abandoned lands.
The Freedmen's Bureau also played a role in protecting the rights of freedmen and helping them to integrate into society. It did this by investigating and prosecuting crimes against freedmen, and by providing legal assistance to freedmen.
The Freedmen's Bureau was a controversial agency, but it played an important role in helping freedmen to transition from slavery to freedom. It provided them with essential support and helped them to build new lives for themselves