I may have a different perspective on the slaves. The freed slaves were given the right to stay in the U.S.or return to Africa? which did they choose? Simple question. Did your ancestors choose to stay? After the war many of them did go back, but the majority did not. So, they chose to stay. Don’t blame us. I’m pretty sure the offer still stands.
“ Did your ancestors choose to stay?”
Proud to say, my ancestors, maternal and paternal, were already here. I doubt any owned slaves, as they were farmers trying to stay alive. Among them were twenty three patriots who fought in the American Revolution.