Going back through threads this month I noticed yours didn't get a response, but I was pretty sure it has been asked before. Here are a few previous ones which might be of interest for you!

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1oy1j3/in_the_decades_and_years_prior_to_the_us_civil/

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1iw9rx/how_were_the_blacks_treated_in_canada_prior_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6hj10p/what_happened_to_slaves_after_they_escaped_into/