From: jennifer morrone
Date: 4/28/00
Time: 7:38:45 PM
Remote Name: 209.255.220.106
The slaves responded to being freed with great elation. They, as could be expected, were overcome with joy. Many slaves after hearing they were free left their plantations. They ran away from their former masters some leaving behind family and sometimes even their own children. Some of the slaves headed north. Others seemed not too know what to do with themselves. Some wandered aimlessly and eventually starved to death. Some thought that the emancipation entitled them to not have to work at all. They would go from town to town taking what they wanted, as they needed it. Many times though when given the opportunity, the slaves worked for money on the plantations and were eager to begin to learn to read and write. The plantation owners were very reluctant to let the slaves go. Some of them did not let them go with out a struggle. Some plantation owners offered the newly freed slaves a chance to stay and work on the plantations but when refused some whipped the slaves. Many plantation owners eventually ended up paying the ex-slaves to work on the farms and plantations. Though many slaves did not work for the masters they were former slaves too and many only worked on a plantation for a year at a time before moving on. I think other primary sources that could be included could be an account written by a freed slave who stayed in the South, a freed slave who went North, and/or a white Northerners account.