1 Although various aspects of freedom suits are discussed in this literature, many books and articles focus on the color of plaintiffs.
Among the best of these studies is Judith Schafer’s analysis of New Orleans suits during the period 1846–62. The literature mainly involves cases in the Upper South and Louisiana. There are a number of articles and a few books focusing specifically on the subject of how slaves went to court, filed a suit, and obtained a verdict.
Historians have long been aware of freedom suits in the southern states, mostly as interesting anecdotes or footnotes when discussing other issues concerning race and slavery.