What popular phrase summarizes the land redistribution promise for former slaves after the Civil War?

The phrase "Forty Acres and a Mule" became a symbol of the promise made to former slaves during the Reconstruction era, signifying the hope that they would receive land to cultivate and resources to support their new lives after the Civil War. This proposal emerged as a response to the widespread devastation and loss suffered by African Americans who had been enslaved. Initially articulated during a meeting led by General William T. Sherman in 1865, the idea was to provide families with a form of reparations by allocating a portion of land, specifically forty acres, along with a mule to help them work that land.

This phrase encapsulates the broader aspirations of freed people for economic independence and the ability to sustain themselves and their families, aiming to rectify the injustices of slavery by aiding the transition to freedom. Although the promise was not universally fulfilled and many freed individuals did not receive the land they were promised, "Forty Acres and a Mule" remains a poignant reminder of the struggles for land and autonomy faced by African Americans during this period in American history.