The second half of the eighteenth century witnessed both progress and setbacks in the status of African-Americans, slave and free. The majority of African-Americans were still slaves, a painful experience. Conditions for some free blacks were not a significant improvement over slavery. Protests, by blacks and whites, over slavery resulted in a nascent abolitionist movement, albeit no great stand was made by any organized groups. Two events in the second half of the eighteenth century that had profound effects on the status of African-Americans were the Revolutionary War and the debate in Congress involving the introduction of slavery in the Northwest Territory. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, America was far from reaching a resolution of the ôNegro Question.ö
African-Americans resented both the rigid control of freedom and the harsh punishment characteristic of the institution of slavery. Slaves were not allowed to enjoy even the most basic human rights, and were denied freedom to live as a family without fear of separation. Enslaved blacks employed a variety of protest mechanisms against these injustices including suicide, petitions for freedom, running away, uprisings, and conspiracies. Slave protests brought their plight to the attention of some whites, who subsequently spoke out against slavery. By the second half of the eighteenth century, antislavery views were being widely expressed for the first time.
Although most African-Americans during this period were slaves a significant number were free. Freedom was achieved in a number of ways. Some slaves were freed by an act of legislation. These acts required that slave owners register the discharge of any slave in the court records. Other slaves gained their freedom through a statement in their mastersÆ last will and testament. Many times slaves received freedom as a reward for long and praiseworthy service. The more fortunate slaves were able...