In North Carolina, free blacks were able to own guns as long as they were given a license by the county courts; However, the county courts could deny their right to bear arms as well as confiscate guns even if they had a license. State law changed in 1861 when the General Assembly of North Carolina passed a law forbidding free blacks from owning guns. The law of 1861 forbade county courts from issuing licenses to free blacks and violation of the law could mean a fine on the issuing county of at least $50.