Freedom and how it was Obtained
Freedom is a right and one that many have fought for. There were various ways in which a slave person could, by law, gain their freedom. This was happening long before the abolishment of slavery.
Here are some ways slaves gained their freedom.
- A child of enslaved people was also born into slavery. But if someone paid a certain amount when baptizing the child, he would grow up as a free man. Puerto Rican Patriots and Abolitionists used this method extensively to buy the freedom of children of slaves before the Abolition of Slavery in Puerto Rico. For example, Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances, a great Patriot, and Abolitionist went to church every Sunday and looked for mothers bringing their children who were going to receive their baptism. He would pay out of his pocket.
- Another means of obtaining freedom was by the express will of the master.
- The master could also leave an enslaved person, by testamentary will, at liberty.
- The enslaved person could buy his freedom if he had the money to do it.
- Foreign enslaved people who escaped from their countries and passed into Spanish territory received freedom if they swore an oath of allegiance to the King of Spain and became Catholic. For example, many enslaved Black people escaped from Haiti (a French colony) and thus became free men in Puerto Rico.
- The other means were truly demoralizing and dishonorable. Freedom and a certain amount of money would go to a slave, who would snitch or betray a fellow companion or group of companions in some escape or uprising attempt.
The Freed
One way or another, liberated or free blacks had the same rights as free white men. That was how, before and after Abolition. As a result, black Puerto Ricans in the last century began to contribute with their intelligence, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit to the well-being of Puerto Rican society. Teachers, artists, professionals, owners, politicians, business people, and artisans emerged in Puerto Rico from that conglomerate of freedmen or free blacks, contributing with the white population to the social, economic, cultural, and political progress of our country.
The 1872 Slave Schedule
Don’t forget to review the Slave Schedule. You can click here.