The Diary of Avery Blackman: Freedom

Today I realized that years in unpaid employment has left me with nothing. I complained to my government, and they promised that once the dust from the war had settled, I would receive reparations for my decades of work. Land and a beast of burden that I could own myself. It's a glorious day, I just hope that things get settled soon. My former master offered me and my family a job working on his land for actual money. I'll pay him rent and buy my food from him, but it's alright because at least this way, I'm still paying my own way. He even gave me a start-up loan to get me on my feet. He told me I could just pay him back at the end of the month, and with all the work I'm doing, it should be no problem. I'd love to start school soon, but the whites won't allow me into their schools, and have yet to build any for me. I'm sure it'll be a matter of time before the great President Lincoln comes through for me and I'll be living on and farming my own land.