On June 26, 1850, a New Orleans paper ran two runaway notices on one page. Ten dollars for one man, two hundred for a light-skinned woman who could pass as white. The price was a confession. This is the documented record.
New Orleans
Francisca Montreuil: The Baker Who Bought Her Children Out of Slavery
Francisca Montreuil was a baker in Spanish New Orleans who bought herself and her children out of slavery one signature at a time, then built an estate that crossed into American rule. This is her documented record.
The Deed Before the Eulogy: Henriette Delille, the Free Woman of Color Who Bought Her Institution
In 1850 Henriette Delille, a free woman of color in New Orleans, signed a notarized act of sale and bought the land for the institution she founded. This is her documented record, anchored to the deed.