Free Blacks Mini DBQ

Mariana Guerra
Mrs. Hammoud
AP US History
11/14/14

Mariana 1

How Free Were Free Blacks in the North?
"All men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights of which . . . they cannot deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." ­Thomas Jefferson
These were the words written in the Declaration of Independence. However, this was not the case during the time of slavery. Even for the “freed” slaves. “Freed blacks” were generally not free at all. They were not allowed to do any of the things any other free american could do. They were not allowed to vote or participate in hearings, they were not allowed to dine in the same restaurants as their fellow “free americans”, in addition to those things, they were also not even allowed to associate with each other or the white man or woman would be looked down upon. Therefore not giving the “free” blacks any freedom at all.
What is being free in a country if you have no say in government or in any trials as a jury member. Out of the Northern states only five states were completely for giving freed blacks the right to vote. (Document A) Other five states had restrictions on the voting rights of the black men. The other six Northern states did not give the right to vote to the freed blacks. (Document A) If there is no right to vote in a country you are not

Mariana Guerra
Mrs. Hammoud
AP US History
11/14/14

Mariana 2

treated like a citizen. The constitution was signed in the year 1787, stating that all men are equal. There is no equality if you are not allowed to vote just because you are of a different skin color. They were “Freed Blacks” but couldn’t even be granted the freedom to vote as the other “free” men of the country were. Other than not being able to vote, the free blacks were not able to even participate in the jury. Only one state out of all of the northern states gave blacks the right to be in the jury. (Document A) The New England states were more open to letting the blacks vote, all states but one in that region allowed the blacks to vote.
(Document A) The white men made it clear that they could not vote nor take place in their jury. (Document B) They were highly upset, as I would be too, they were named “free” but did not have the FREEdom to even participate in courts and to vote. Blacks would have to have private meeting in their church to have meetings about voting rights and things of that nature that they were not allowed to take part in. (Document D) Therefore not being able to be truly free.
Having different social expectations and not being allowed to do certain things because of your skin color is not being free whatsoever. The first amendment contains five freedoms that a person living under the constitution gets. These are: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom to petition, and freedom of assembly. The blacks were not able to sit down and enjoy a meal in the same restaurant as a white man.
(Document B) That is no kind of freedom at all. The blacks were not even hired for jobs in

Mariana Guerra
Mrs. Hammoud
AP US History
11/14/14

Mariana 3

many places. (Doc C) How were they expected to make a living for themselves if they were not even given the privilege to work just because of their skin color. The discouragement was great in between the freed blacks, because of the fact that they were pushed down whenever they tried to strive. What kind of free country does not let its people strive and try to live as best as they can. Having the freedom to do anything with leisure as normal citizens was not available to the free blacks. They were not allowed to have the same luxury in the theater as the whites or even associate with the whites without being reprimanded. (Document B) Not being given any true freedom to the “free” blacks.
Economy was difficult for the freed blacks because they were so used to the rejection of the whites. Finding a job for the blacks was hard because they did not know how to read or write. They were also not hired because the other white workers would not want to work with the free blacks. (Doc C) So much negativity towards the blacks discouraged them from getting a job or even trying to live a happy life. (Document C) The blacks felt as if they were inferior to the whites and felt weak. They wanted to be more than the worthless people everyone looks down upon. What kind of society treats “free” men and women this way. If that were the case everyone should feel inferior to each other and no one should have a job. The North kept the blacks free but did not act like they were free.
They were not to be sold in the north, they were not to be held as slaves, but did not associate with them either. How were they supposed to find jobs if the owners of

Mariana Guerra
Mrs. Hammoud
AP US History
11/14/14

Mariana 4

companies and franchises were whites. Being free is being able to apply to any job and have the equal opportunity as any other person applying. The “free” blacks were not truly free. “Free” blacks were never truly free in the North. They suffered many awful things from the whites just because they were of a different skin color. A truly free person does not have limitations on jobs, educations, or even leisure if they were truly free. The North made it seem like the blacks were free by giving them their “freedom”. But where was the freedom truly if they could not have anything to do with government, jobs, and education.
A free country should provide that all for the people of its country.