I am glad the corresponence has been helpful. Since many of my main line Carters moved to the Ouachita, AR area around 1874 ( then into east /east central OK) I still concentrate on those areas. Look at the mortality US censuses for LA. I found two elders who died that were black Carters, with the family names of Duglus (Douglass) and Kitty. Maybe gggggandparents?
I have Bailey connections . My great-great aunt Kitty Carter of Claiborne, later of Ouachita, AR married a Duncan Bailey, had one son named Jessie Bailey, and she died young. Their line lives in Chidester, Ouachita county, ARk., and I am in touch with them via phone, I have never met them but am making plans to go to AR this summer, if at all possible. Many Claibone blacks moved into Ouachita , Camden area, and married into my BRAGG/Carter family, Dukes, Rhine (Ryan, Rhymes, etc) Pratt, Lily and others as I continue to look at marriage records.
Surprisingly my kin folks in Chidester, AR ( from my Aunts Kitty and Isabella Carter ) were living a few doors from one another and did not know of their close relationship until I sent them records. I have found this to be more common than we realize.