For a time, many positive changes occurred for blacks. Government programs, such as the Freedmen’s Bureau, and many private organizations gave blacks the opportunity to excel in academics, business, and politics. Hundreds of schools were opened; Freedmen were able to secure small tracts of land; and, with the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, blacks were able to vote. In many cases, their work ethic led them to achieve independence in business and politics, as many reaped the benefits of an education. Welcome homie <3