The Port Royal Experiment (1862–1865) and Sherman’s Field Order 15
Black History Through the Lens of Liberation
The Promise of Land and the Betrayal of Reconstruction
The Port Royal Experiment was one of the first large-scale efforts to redistribute land to formerly enslaved people, proving that Black self-determination was not only possible but thrived when given the chance. Long before mainstream narratives acknowledged Black economic power, freed people were already building independent communities, governing themselves, and demonstrating what true freedom beyond survival looked like.
But like so many moments in Black history, their success was met with violent backlash. The experiment laid the groundwork for General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15—the famous but ultimately broken promise of "40 acres and a mule" that could have fundamentally altered the future of Black economic independence in America.
This lesson explores how these events shaped Reconstruction, why land ownership was the foundation of true freedom, and how Black communities built prosperity despite government betrayals.
The Port Royal Experiment: Black Land Ownership in Action
In 1861, at the height of the Civil War, the Union Army captured the Sea Islands of South Carolina and parts of Georgia. As Confederate plantation owners fled, tens of thousands of enslaved Black people were left behind. Rather than being re-enslaved or forced into labor camps, they saw an unprecedented opportunity—to take ownership of the land they had been forced to work for generations.
The U.S. government, uncertain about what to do, allowed Northern missionaries, teachers, and abolitionists to step in and work with the freed people to create a self-sustaining Black economy. This became known as the Port Royal Experiment, and it was the first real test of Black independence in the post-slavery era.
What Did the Port Royal Experiment Achieve?
✔ Land Redistribution: Thousands of acres of abandoned Confederate land were given to Black families to cultivate for themselves.
✔ Black-Led Schools: The Penn School, one of the first schools for freed Black people, was founded to provide education that had been denied under slavery.
✔ Self-Governance: Black people organized their own communities, ran local economies, and proved that they did not need white oversight to thrive.
✔ Economic Independence: Cotton, rice, and other crops were grown for profit—not for white plantation owners, but for the Black workers themselves.
This was proof that formerly enslaved people were not only capable of governing and sustaining themselves but were poised to build generational wealth.
Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15: The Birth of “40 Acres and a Mule”
The success of the Port Royal Experiment laid the foundation for a much larger promise: land redistribution on a national scale.
In January 1865, Union General William T. Sherman met with Black ministers and leaders in Savannah, Georgia to discuss what freedom should look like. They made it clear: true freedom required land.
Moved by their demands, Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, setting aside 400,000 acres of land along the Southern coast—from South Carolina to Florida—exclusively for Black families. Each family would receive 40 acres to farm and sustain themselves. This order was a direct response to the long-standing fight for reparations—though it was never called that at the time.
To support this new society, the U.S. Army even provided surplus mules, giving rise to the famous phrase “40 acres and a mule.”
For a brief moment, it seemed like justice was being delivered. Freed people began moving onto the land, working it, and preparing for a future free from white control.
The Betrayal: How Andrew Johnson Stole Black Land
But the promise of 40 acres was short-lived.
Just months later, after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, his successor, Andrew Johnson, moved to reverse Sherman’s order.
✔ White planters who had supported the Confederacy were given their land back.
✔ Black families were violently removed from the land they had begun cultivating.
✔ Many Black people were forced into sharecropping, a new form of economic enslavement.
The impact of this betrayal cannot be overstated—Black economic independence was intentionally blocked, ensuring that white wealth remained intact while Black communities remained vulnerable.
Had Sherman’s order been upheld, we would be living in a radically different America today. Generational Black wealth could have flourished, and the racial wealth gap might not exist at the scale it does.
The Legacy of Land Theft and Broken Promises
The United States has a long history of Black land theft, and the reversal of 40 acres and a mule was just the beginning.
✔ The Tulsa Massacre (1921) – The thriving Black community of Greenwood (Black Wall Street) was burned down by a white mob, erasing millions in Black generational wealth.
✔ The Rosewood Massacre (1923) – Another prosperous Black town in Florida was destroyed through racist violence.
✔ Discriminatory Housing Policies (1930s–1960s) – Redlining and racist lending practices kept Black people from homeownership.
✔ Eminent Domain & Urban Renewal (1950s–1980s) – Black neighborhoods were bulldozed for highways and development projects, displacing thousands.
At every turn, whiteness has used systemic policies and outright violence to block Black wealth. To learn more about the many Black massacres, click here
Why This Still Matters Today
The consequences of these broken promises still shape our world today.
The racial wealth gap is not an accident—it is the result of intentional policies that have robbed Black people of economic stability for centuries.
Gentrification is modern land theft, pushing Black communities out of homes and neighborhoods they built.
Black land ownership is still under attack, with predatory practices forcing Black farmers and landowners off their properties.
What Can We Do?
Learn about Black land justice movements: Groups like The National Black Food & Justice Alliance and The Land Loss Prevention Project fight to protect Black-owned land.
Support Black land ownership: Organizations like 40 Acres & A Mule Project are working to restore land access to Black communities.
Educate & advocate for reparations: Read about reparations and demand policies that correct these historical wrongs. Check out Ta-Nehisi Coates’ article "The Case for Reparations".
Final Reflection: What Would America Look Like If 40 Acres Had Been Granted?
Imagine an America where freed Black families were able to own land and pass it down for generations. Imagine Black Wall Streets not just in Tulsa, but across the entire South.
The reversal of Sherman’s order was not just a lost opportunity—it was a deliberate strategy to keep Black people from ever being economically independent.
That history is not over. We are still fighting to reclaim what was stolen.
A 28-Day Journey Through Black Resistance and Liberation
The story of the Port Royal Experiment and Sherman’s Field Order No. 15 is one of many lessons in my 28-Day Journey Through Black Resistance and Liberation. This is a living document, continuously updated to provide resources, historical lessons, and pathways to action.
📖 Join the journey today:
🔗 Get the guide here.
Let’s continue learning, organizing, and reclaiming what was taken.
In solidarity and liberation,
Desireé B. Stephens
Educator | Counselor | Community Builder
Founder, Make Shi(f)t Happen
I truly enjoy your content! It is wonderful to see intelligent and important history that I can learn from and share. Continue your journey!