Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The organization that has made the collection available believes that the collection is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The collection may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction .

Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Freedmen's Bureau Special Order, 1865, Ms2018-022, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Freedmen's Bureau Special Order was purchased by Special Collections in April 2017.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Freedmen's Bureau Special Order was completed in September 2018. Additional description was completed in June 2024.

Administrative History

The U. S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (better known as the Freedmen's Bureau) was established in March 1865 to provide provisions, healthcare, and education to refugees and people who were formerly enslaved. It's Virginia operations ended in January 1869, and the bureau was abolished in June 1872.

External Sources:

"African American Research at the Library of Virginia to 1870", Library of Virginia, https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/african-american/freedmens-bureau , accessed June 11, 2024.

"The Freedmen's Bureau" in "Remaking Virginia: Transformation Through Emancipation" exhibit, Library of Virginia, https://www.virginiamemory.com/online-exhibitions/exhibits/show/remaking-virginia/freedmens-bureau , accessed June 11, 2024.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of an order issued by Colonel Orlando Brown, superintendent of the 8th District of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (Freedmen's Bureau), on September 14, 1865, written from Christiansburg, Virginia. Special Order No. 12 requested the assistant superintendent of the bureau to report on the condition of freedmen in their districts in terms of whether they were willing to work for or rent land from the people who formerly enslaved them, how they were working, and how they were treated by the people who formerly enslaved them. It also inquired why they may refuse to work.

Content Warning: This collection contains outdated language and racist stereotypes.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• African Americans -- History
• Christiansburg (Va.)
• Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
• United States. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Freedmen's Bureau Special Order by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).