During that time, the United States was still very much segregated, and African Americans were denied access to education. It was against the law in most states for African Americans to attend school, and those who were caught attempting to learn were often severely punished.
Even if African Americans were able to find a school that would accept them, they often faced discrimination and harassment from white students and teachers. They were also given inferior educational resources and were not taught the same subjects as white students. This made it very difficult for African Americans to learn and succeed.
Despite these challenges, many African Americans were determined to learn to read and write. They often took great risks to do so, and many were successful. Their stories are a testament to the power of education and the resilience of the human spirit.
In the years since the 1800s, great progress has been made in ensuring equal educational opportunities for African Americans and improving their literacy rates. However, significant disparities in educational attainment and literacy still exist between African Americans and whites in the United States today.