With support of a National Historical Publications and Records Commission Documenting Democracy Grant, this record series was completely digitized and item level processed by name in 2016. To search results, please visit the Legacy of Slavery database found here http://slavery2.msa.maryland.gov/pages/Search.aspx

The orignal record books have been transferred to the Maryland State Archives. See BALTIMORE COUNTY COURT (Certificates of Freedom), 1806-1851 MSA C290 and BALTIMORE CITY SUPERIOR COURT (Certificates of Freedom) 1852-1865 MSA C165.

A manumission is the legal document freeing a slave. The earliest manumissions were recorded by deed in the county land records. Between 1752 and 1790, the deed was the only legal document that could free a slave. But before and after those years, manumissions were also recorded in wills, chattel records, and, for Anne Arundel and Harford counties, in a separate record series called (Manumissions). Information included in a manumission are the name(s) and aliases of the newly freed person, the name(s) of the owner(s), age, the date that the person is to be freed (either immediately, or delayed to a date in the future), as well as a citation for where the original manumission was recorded among the county records.