Former slaves' situation depended very much on were they ended up. Some few of them became plantation owners in their own right, owning slaves and generally being fairly accepted in the community. However, most freed slaves struggled to get by doing tenant farming and manual labor. Large cities such as New Orleans and Baltimore offered different opportunities for freed slaves. They still frequently worked as manual laborers or as sailors. For a good while sailing was seen as the best career option for freed African American slaves. They built a reputation as excellent sailors and constructed a culture around it.

Sources: Max Grivno, Gleanings of Freedom W. Jeffrey Bolster, Black Jacks