The Freedmen's Bureau's role in African American development during the Reconstruction Era has been a polarizing topic since the Bureau's inception. Although most agree that the Bureau was well-intentioned, some scholars believe that the Freedmen's Bureau was detrimental to the development of African Americans. One of these researchers was WEB Dubois, who, in his book The Souls of Black Folk, expressed dissatisfaction with the Bureau's actions and suggested that the Bureau had done more harm than good. Upon further investigation, research refutes the position that the Freedmen's Bureau was primarily detrimental to black development. Although far from flawless in its efforts to aid newly freed blacks, the actions of the Freedmen's Bureau did not impede the progress of African Americans; instead, these actions facilitated the development of African Americans. The Bureau for Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, more commonly known as the Freedmen's Bureau, was established with the passage of the Freedmen's Bureau Act on March 3, 1865 (United States). The bill, supported by Abraham Lincoln as well as Radical Republicans in Congress, faced strong opposition from the Southern states and passed with a majority of only two votes (Dubois). The bill is intentionally vague in order to allow for lenient implementation. The flexibility provided by refraining from describing specific programs was intended to benefit freedmen by allowing the program to shape and adapt to their needs (Colby). Although the flexibility of the Freedmen's Bureau allowed the Bureau to attempt to solve many different problems, Dubois found fault with all sections of the Freedmen Save the Education Sector. Dubois called the Bureau "one of the most singular and interesting attempts... middle of paper ... the progress made by the Freedmen's Bureau, although modest, was nevertheless beneficial and certainly not detrimental to the race . development. Works Cited Abbott, Martin. “Free Land, Free Labor, and the Freedmen’s Bureau.” Agricultural History 30.4 (1956): 150-56.JSTOR. Internet. November 23, 2011. Colby, Ira C. “The Freedmen's Bureau: From Welfare to Segregation.” Phylon 46.3 (1985): 219-30.JSTOR. Internet. Nov. 23, 2011.Dubois, WEB “From the dawn of freedom.” The souls of black people. 13-40. Print.Groff, Patrick. “The Freedmen’s Bureau in High School History Texts.” The Journal of Black Education 51.4 (1982): 425-33. JSTOR. Internet. November 23, 2011. Lieberman, Robert C. “The Freedmen's Bureau and the Politics of Institutional Structure.” History of social sciences18.3 (1994): 405-37. Print.United States. Cong. Freedmen's Bureau Act. 38th Cong., 2nd session. Cong. Bill. Print.