Photo 5: Freedmen's School: One of the many Freedmen’s schools in the postwar South.

I became the African
American’s top rail
To teach and to educate
Those who don’t fail
Doing so much good
And feeling hunkey dorey
Teaching all of these freedmen
So they can one day tell their story
Reconstruction, rebuilding
And new generations to come
Will have the ability to learn from me
And gentleman become
Reading and writing
Are the main things taught
Books, writing utensils
And paper were the main things brought
One day all of these children
Will be happy and joyful
In their new life, where they
Will be educated and hopeful