Which federal initiative promised “forty acres and a mule” to freed individuals?

The federal initiative that promised “forty acres and a mule” to freed individuals was Special Field Order No. 15. Issued by General William T. Sherman in January 1865 during the Civil War, this order aimed to provide land to newly freed African Americans as a means of resettlement and assistance in building a new life after emancipation. The initiative was a response to the need for economic support for freed individuals who had been liberated from slavery and had limited resources to establish themselves.

This order specifically allocated land along the coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, intending to redistribute land to former slaves. While the promise was significant in symbolizing the hope for economic independence and the possibility of thriving as landowners, the implementation of this initiative faced numerous challenges and was largely undone after the war ended, particularly with President Andrew Johnson's later reversals.

Understanding Special Field Order No. 15 is crucial in discussing post-Civil War policies and the challenges faced by freed individuals during Reconstruction, setting a context for the broader issues of land ownership, civil rights, and the economic integration of African Americans into American society.