Emancipated slaves sought to define their own identity after gaining independence and freedom from slavery. They viewed economic freedom as having control over their own labor. The document advocates for emancipated slaves to have autonomy over how they spend their money and choose their occupations rather than being limited to only working in cotton fields or doing domestic work, as was typical under slavery. Images included depict factory workers, clocks, and cotton workers to illustrate different occupations and concepts of time and freedom.