Existing comment:
"I Will Come Back"
Male slave, who has been sold, says goodbye to his wife and family.
Some slaves worked within the system to better their own lives. In some instances they were given opportunities to earn money and purchase their own freedom. This process required many years and the master could withdraw his offer at any time.
As the South became more adamant about protecting the institution of slavery during the middle of the nineteenth century, it became more difficult for slaves to purchase their own freedom. Similarly, the lives of free blacks in the South became more precarious as the slavery controversy intensified at mid-century. |