Now let me add some to Shelley's work. On the 1790 census records, free black head of households were listed in the federal census. Some slave schedules are available for 1840 to 1860. On tax records there was a count of male slaves over 16 and total number of slaves. On the 1850 an 1860 censuses, free blacks are shown.
Military records are available too for all blacks who have served.
Many of these moved to Nova Scotia. In the War of 1812 slaves also served - but by 1842 blacks had been excluded. During the Spanish-American war they served in the 9th and 10th US Cavalary. The Freedman's Bureau was formed just before the end of the Civil War, assisting slaves to adjust to their freedom. By 1869 this had nearly stopped functioning and closed in 1872.