Freedom came, but freedom alone wasn't enough. This episode tells the story of the Freedmen's Bureau — a short-lived but vital institution that tried to turn emancipation into opportunity. From schools and hospitals to labor contracts and land disputes, the Bureau became a lifeline for millions of newly freed African Americans. But it also became a lightning rod for resentment in the defeated South. We'll explore the heroic work of teachers, agents, and Black leaders who built new communities from the ashes of slavery — and the constant struggle to make freedom real in the face of fierce opposition.