Have students examine the two political cartoons about the Freedmen’s Bureau and analyze the artists’ messages. “The Freedmen’s Bureau,” drawn by Alfred Waud for Harper’s Weekly, depicts the Bureau positively, while “The Freedmen’s Bureau!” broadside depicts it negatively, using racist imagery and stereotypes. It is imperative that the racist image be shared with students with great care. Be sure to read the Teacher Tips for suggestions on teaching with racist primary source content.

Students can use the Political Cartoon Analysis – Student Handout. 

Bring the class back together to discuss:

• How does the illustrator’s beliefs about the bureau affect how they depict the freedpeople? What stereotypes do you notice in the illustrations and/or the text?
• What case does each image make for or against the Bureau? In other words, what in the image and/or text suggests that the Bureau is a good or a bad thing? 
• How might a supporter of the Freedmen’s Bureau respond to the message of the illustrations? What facts and arguments could be used to support or counter the cartoon’s arguments?