lass , ▁a ▁former ▁slave ▁and ▁resident ▁of ▁the ▁town , ▁became ▁an ▁el o quent ▁and ▁moving ▁or ator ▁on ▁the ▁lecture ▁circuit . ▁S lave ▁narr atives , ▁produced ▁by ▁former ▁slaves ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁New ▁Bed ford , ▁also ▁provided ▁insight ▁about ▁the ▁experiences ▁of ▁slaves . ▁At ▁times , ▁abol ition ists ▁paid ▁for ▁the ▁freedom ▁of ▁former ▁slaves ▁who ▁were ▁about ▁to ▁be ▁returned ▁to ▁sla very ▁and ▁women ▁that ▁were ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁forced ▁into ▁sexual ▁sla very . ▁They ▁had ▁a ▁store ▁for ▁goods ▁that ▁were ▁not ▁produced ▁by ▁slaves , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁free - produ ce ▁movement . ▁▁ ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁full ▁of ▁contradict ions . ▁The ▁cot ton ▁mill s ▁re lied ▁on ▁cot ton ▁from ▁the ▁Southern ▁United ▁States , ▁that ▁was ▁picked ▁by ▁slaves . ▁There ▁were ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁who ▁were ▁un ac com mod ating ▁to ▁former ▁slaves , ▁due ▁to ▁ra cial ▁pre jud ice . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁New ▁Bed ford ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁influ ential ▁Qu akers , ▁abol ition ists , ▁and ▁free ▁African - Amer icans — like ▁the ▁Arnold , ▁Gr inn ell , ▁Rot ch , ▁Rod man , ▁and ▁Rob es on ▁families . ▁Ab ol ition ▁Row , ▁including ▁Six th ▁and ▁Se vent h ▁Stre ets , ▁is ▁a ▁neighborhood ▁where ▁found ing ▁families ▁lived , ▁and ▁represent ▁abol ition ists ▁and ▁the ▁wh aling ▁industry ▁employ ers ▁who ▁employed ▁a ▁diverse ▁work force . ▁In