Kendra S. Horn: “H.R. 5157, the Freedmen's Bureau Records Preservation Act of 2000, represents a bipartisan effort to safeguard important…”

“H.R. 5157, the Freedmen's Bureau Records Preservation Act of 2000, represents a bipartisan effort to safeguard important links to the past. These records document how the 38th Congress responded to the enormous social and economic upheaval in the aftermath of the Civil War. From 1865 to 1872, the Freedmen's Bureau helped better the lives of former slaves and others who had been impoverished by the war. These Bureau records are in many instances the only link many Americans have with their past and our past, especially those who are descended from former slaves. H.R. 5157 would require the Archivist of the United States to preserve these irreplaceable documents. The bill would also require the Archivist of the United States to develop partnerships with educational institutions such as Howard University and others to index the records so they may be more readily accessible to anyone who is interested in this important period of the Nation's history.”