Free people of color

Free people of color were people in the past who were not enslaved, but still did not have the same rights as white people. They were people of African descent who had been given their freedom by governments or other people, or were born to two parents who were both free. These people were usually not allowed to vote, own property, or become citizens in the same way as white people. They were also not allowed to go to the same schools, churches, or businesses as white people.