Enslaved people in the South generally reacted to news of the Emancipation Proclamation by

Enslaved people often responded to emancipation news by resisting slavery and asserting their freedom, including slowing or stopping their work and escaping when possible. Enlisting in the Confederate military would have supported the side defending slavery, while moving to border states was not the general response. Thus the best choice is protesting, such as by staging work slowdowns.

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