Slaves Without Masters Free Blacks in Early America

The American Revolution, 1775-1783 Few free blacks before the Revolution of 1776 Number of free blacks increased during the Revolutionary era Whites inspired by revolutionary rhetoric Slaves won freedom by serving in military Slaves escaped 1790 -- 27,000 free Blacks in the North 1790 -- 32,000 free Blacks in the South

Northern States free slaves Northern blacks were prepared for freedom Almost all had been born in America Almost all had adapted to white society Almost all had frequent contact with whites before emancipation

Masters freeing slaves in the South More Blacks were freed in the Upper South than in the Deep South. Slaves freed in the Deep South often had ◆ Kinship ties to their former masters ◆ Granted special favors ◆ Least productive

Free blacks in the Deep South Free Blacks in Georgia and South Carolina were lighter skinned better educated wealthier more skilled had better relations with whites . . . than did their free blacks in the Upper South. Mulattoes, known in the Deep South as “free people of color,” were held in much higher esteem than slaves

Life was harder for slaves in the Deep South Slaves in Georgia an South Carolina had little hope of gaining freedom Whether thru escape or purchase Maryland and Virginia had lots of escapes and manumissions Free blacks – fastest growing part of the populations of Maryland and Virginia

Free Black Population in 1820 233,600 Most lived in Maryland and Virginia Most lived in rural areas

Black Masters In 1830, 3,777 black or mixed raced heads of families owned slaves. The overwhelming majority of Black slave owners owned their husbands, wives, or children. Some African-Americans actually owned slaves that were NOT related to them.

Free Blacks worked In the cities, black men held menial jobs Black women worked as maids and cooks

Restrictions on free blacks in the North Interracial marriage outlawed Limits on what jobs they could perform 80% of free blacks in the North could not vote Social custom prevented blacks from serving on juries Some states refused to allow blacks to testify against whites

Racial segregation in the North By 1820, racial segregation was common in the North Separate seats in theaters and lecture halls Could not enter hotels, restaurants, and resorts Blacks prayed in “Negro pews” in churches Educated in segregated schools Punished in segregated prisons Nursed in segregated hospitals Lived in segregated neighborhoods Buried in Segregated cemeteries

Free Blacks create their own institutions Because they were barred from white institutions Mutual aid societies and Black churches Mutual aid societies pooled resources Some were based on skin color Some were based on occupation Some celebrated heritage Lodges of Black Masons – the Black elite

Black Education Segregated schools in the North and South Black schools were not popular with southern whites Saw schools as “subversive” South Carolina (1834) made it illegal for free Blacks to teach other Blacks 1820s – some Blacks attending universities in Northeast and Midwest Alexander Lucius Twilight -- first African American to graduate from an American college.