There were free blacks in the north and south, ( don't forget, George Washington stated in his will that his slaves were to be freed upon this death or the death of his wife, Martha which ever came last. Martha freed them a year after George's death because she was afraid for her life. You see, the Mt. Vernon slaves knew of the provision in the will and Martha freed them to save her own neck.) but, unless they could "pass" as white even free blacks did not have full status. The most important right of Americans is the right to vote! Free blacks were afforded a limited set of rights; they were limited as to where they could shop, attend school, live, and work. As well as what type of jobs they could hold, and their rate of pay was lower than their white counterparts in the same position, with no possibility for advancement. Most of this treatment remained until the civil rights movement of the sixties. So there were free blacks before the Civil War but as for being full citizens...well that's debatable.
