Appealing for liberty : freedom suits in the South
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 413-420) and index.

"A sweeping, national history of freedom suits in America from the Revolution to the Civil War. Draws from more than 2,000 suits by more than 4,000 plaintiffs, including the largest single collection of contemporary, real-time testimony by enslaved African Americans, as disclosed by their legal counsel, and new sources from county courts across the South. Illuminates the lives of unknown slaves and free persons of color who filed freedom suits. Offers an unusual and perhaps unexpected view of interracial cooperation among blacks in bondage and their white legal representatives as well as the white members of their communities. Reveals that few freedom suits were based on the color and race of the plaintiffs."--Provided by publisher.