Free Blacks in Antebellum America

The North/Upper South/ Lower South

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More than half of the south's free blacks population lived in the upper south. Life for free blacks in the upper south during the Antebellum period was diffrent then thoes living in the North. Free blacks in the north, although they had many limitaion, had more opportunities than free upper southern blacks, but upper southern blacks had better treatment than free blacks living in the deep south. unlike free black northerners southerners lived side by side with slaves. Most Free southern blacks had family member or loved ones still enslaved which prevented them to leave. Free black in the south often tried to buy their family or loved ones freedom. Free blacks were also more at risk of being enslaved;  Southern Sates considered akk blacks slaves unless they could prove other wise with their "free papers".  
   Most free blacks in the deep south had a more closely relationship with their former master than family or loved ones. To keep free blacks from leaving the deep south Many powerful White people provided free blacks with jobs, loans, protection, special privileges such as voting and to testify agaist white people. More deep southern blacks lived in cities. although job opportunities were restricted in the deep south, blacks managed to keep stronger positions in the skillef trade than in the upper south. just like in the upper south and north black communites developed in the cities. eventhough they didnt really have seprate churches as community centers, tther plces to substitute