10. The North Practiced Racial Segregation and Discrimination
Despite the absence of formal slavery, free Black individuals in the North faced systemic discrimination and segregation. They were often excluded from skilled trades, denied access to quality education, and subjected to housing discrimination. In cities like Philadelphia, Black residents were barred from public facilities, including concert halls, schools, and churches. Additionally, free Black people were vulnerable to kidnapping into slavery, as gangs in cities like New York and Philadelphia abducted them, sometimes with the complicity of local authorities (britannica.com).
