Contraband Camp

The Corinth Contraband Camp offered former slaves a first step toward self-sustainability and freedom through profitable farming. Men, women, and children grew 300 acres of cotton and 400 acres of vegetables, and all of the crops were sold for combined profits of around $5,000 per month. Individuals also kept smaller gardens that fed themselves and their families, with tomatoes, cabbages, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. For many of the former slaves, this was the first time they had grown crops for themselves rather than for someone else's benefit. Though active for little more than a year, the camp helped over 6,000 African Americans take a major step toward eventual citizenship, and the newly freed African Americans went on to use the skills they learned there to let families work paid jobs and become self-sufficient members of society.

Corinth, Mississippi · United States