But according to the census records the free blacks in Alabama held a small steady and somewhat growing population...

1820--- 633
1830--- 1,572 *Again the decade where attitudes changed. The free black population doubled from 1820 and was on its way to being a large population.
1840--- 2,039
1850--- 2,265
1860--- 2,690

Unlike Virgina and North Carolina manumission must have been discouraged. It would be interesting to dig into why.

____________________
David Upton