When we think of African Americans in the US before the Civil War, slavery often comes to mind. However, there was an often overlooked, but still important population of free black men in the North. In all, approximately 221,000 free men and women of color lived in the free Northern states. All of these states had generally abolished slavery before the Civil War, but this barely helped to create better conditions for the people formerly known as Negroes. Even though they were not treated as property, these free blacks received fewer rights that the Caucasian population of the same time period. All in all, free African Americans faced serious limitations in the areas of politics and economics. In the area of society they had slightly more
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For example, out of 16 Northern states, African Americans were only allowed to vote in ten of them, and five states placed a property restriction on the right to vote. This prevented many men of color from voting, as shown in 1855 New York. Out of 11,000 free blacks living in that city, only 100 met the $250 property requirement and were allowed to vote. Overall, only five Northern states permitted free African Americans to vote without any restrictions whatsoever. (Doc. A) All these limitations, restrictions, and requirements posed a serious threat to the political rights of men of color. Voting is a fundamental component of any democracy, especially for a republic like the United States of America. Thus, barring blacks represented an uncharacteristic misstep in this country’s founding ideals of freedom, democracy, and liberty. Voting gives the common man a voice that can be heard, one of many, that influences the inner workings of government and decides how he shall be governed. As such, it is a vital and crucial right that should be given to every man, and restricting African Americans from voting silenced a key minority. Furthermore, in the words of Charles Mackay, a British visitor to America, “This is...the language of the free North... he (blacks) shall not be free to share the deliberations of the jury box, to attend us in our courts, to …show more content…
Free blacks often banded together, forming communities in large cities. This collaboration produced numerous advancements for men of color, such as schools that often outpaced their Southern counterparts meant for whites (Doc. C) and churches to provide services for them. The church in particular provided many services to the African American populace, ranging from social activism, to marriage and funerals, and even a literary club and Sunday school. The picture of the black church illustrates blacks exercising several of their Constitutional rights, like freedom of religion, assembly, and speech. (Doc. D) The Constitutional rights in particular show that even a somewhat racist white population in the North, keen on blocking blacks from voting and getting jobs, would not dare to take away the rights granted by the nation’s founding charter. In addition, services provided by the local African American church would often replace whites unwilling to serve men formerly known as Negroes. In this way, blacks had substantially greater freedoms when it came to society. Unfortunately, this forward-looking way of thinking did not spread to the Caucasian population in the North. The British Charles Mackay, a visitor to America, discussed the views of the Northern states on free black men. “He shall not be free... to dine and drink at our board... to mingle with us in the concert-room,
For example, out of 16 Northern states, African Americans were only allowed to vote in ten of them, and five states placed a property restriction on the right to vote. This prevented many men of color from voting, as shown in 1855 New York. Out of 11,000 free blacks living in that city, only 100 met the $250 property requirement and were allowed to vote. Overall, only five Northern states permitted free African Americans to vote without any restrictions whatsoever. (Doc. A) All these limitations, restrictions, and requirements posed a serious threat to the political rights of men of color. Voting is a fundamental component of any democracy, especially for a republic like the United States of America. Thus, barring blacks represented an uncharacteristic misstep in this country’s founding ideals of freedom, democracy, and liberty. Voting gives the common man a voice that can be heard, one of many, that influences the inner workings of government and decides how he shall be governed. As such, it is a vital and crucial right that should be given to every man, and restricting African Americans from voting silenced a key minority. Furthermore, in the words of Charles Mackay, a British visitor to America, “This is...the language of the free North... he (blacks) shall not be free to share the deliberations of the jury box, to attend us in our courts, to …show more content…
Free blacks often banded together, forming communities in large cities. This collaboration produced numerous advancements for men of color, such as schools that often outpaced their Southern counterparts meant for whites (Doc. C) and churches to provide services for them. The church in particular provided many services to the African American populace, ranging from social activism, to marriage and funerals, and even a literary club and Sunday school. The picture of the black church illustrates blacks exercising several of their Constitutional rights, like freedom of religion, assembly, and speech. (Doc. D) The Constitutional rights in particular show that even a somewhat racist white population in the North, keen on blocking blacks from voting and getting jobs, would not dare to take away the rights granted by the nation’s founding charter. In addition, services provided by the local African American church would often replace whites unwilling to serve men formerly known as Negroes. In this way, blacks had substantially greater freedoms when it came to society. Unfortunately, this forward-looking way of thinking did not spread to the Caucasian population in the North. The British Charles Mackay, a visitor to America, discussed the views of the Northern states on free black men. “He shall not be free... to dine and drink at our board... to mingle with us in the concert-room,