The author is the 2002 James Dent Walker Award Winner. First of a planned series. Anne Arundel African Americans who were freed during this period or were already free. Most entries are Certificates of Freedom which give name of slave and owner, date of certificate, age, height, physical markings. These certificates begin in 1810. Many were "freeborn." Prior to 1810 are given a few deeds of manumission which contain names of slave, owner, date freed and date of record.