Elizabeth Freeman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Freeman
(a.k.a. Mumbet) |
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Elizabeth Freeman, aged about 67
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| Born | c. 1744 |
| Died | December 28, 1829 (aged 84-85) Stockbridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Bett, Mumbet, Mum Bett, |
| Occupation | Midwife, herbalist, servant |
| Known for | Brom and Bett v. Ashley (1781), gained freedom based on constitutional right to liberty |
Elizabeth Freeman (born around 1744 – died December 28, 1829), also known as Bet, Mum Bett, or MumBet, was an amazing African American woman. She was the first enslaved person to successfully sue for her freedom in Massachusetts. Her victory in court helped end slavery in that state.
The court case was called Brom and Bett v. Ashley (1781). The judges decided that slavery didn't fit with the 1780 Massachusetts State Constitution. This ruling was also used in another important case, Quock Walker's freedom suit. When the court said Walker was free, it basically meant slavery was over in Massachusetts.
Any time, any time while I was a slave, if one minute's freedom had been offered to me, and I had been told I must die at the end of that minute, I would have taken it—just to stand one minute on God's airth [sic] a free woman— I would.
—Elizabeth Freeman
Contents
Her Early Life and Fight for Freedom
Elizabeth Freeman couldn't read or write, so she didn't leave behind any written records. We know about her life from what others wrote down after hearing her stories. We also learn from old historical documents.
Growing Up Enslaved
Freeman was born into slavery around 1744. This happened on a farm in Claverack, New York. She was given the name Bet. When she was about seven years old, Bet was given to Hannah, the daughter of her owner. Hannah had just married John Ashley of Sheffield, Massachusetts.
Bet stayed with Hannah and John Ashley until 1781. During this time, she had a daughter named Little Bet. People say she was married, but there are no records of it. Her husband, whose name is unknown, is believed to have died fighting in the American Revolutionary War.
Standing Up for Herself
Bet was always a strong and brave person. She often had disagreements with Hannah Ashley. Hannah had been raised in a very strict Dutch culture. One day in 1780, Hannah tried to hit a young servant girl with a hot shovel. Elizabeth bravely stepped in to protect the girl. She got a deep wound on her arm instead.
As her arm healed, Bet left the wound uncovered. She wanted everyone to see how badly she had been treated. Catharine Maria Sedgwick, who knew Elizabeth, wrote down what Elizabeth said about this event: "Madam never again laid her hand on Lizzy. I had a bad arm all winter, but Madam had the worst of it. I never covered the wound, and when people said to me, before Madam,—'Why, Betty! what ails your arm?' I only answered —'ask missis!' Which was the slave and which was the real mistress?"
Hearing About Freedom
John Ashley, Bet's owner, was a very important man. He was a lawyer, a rich landowner, and a leader in his town. His house was a place where many important political talks happened. It's likely that the Sheffield Resolves were signed there. These resolves were important ideas about freedom that came before the Declaration of Independence.
In 1780, Elizabeth Freeman heard the new Massachusetts Constitution being read aloud. She might have heard it at a public meeting or listened to her master talking about it at home. She heard these powerful words:
All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.
Suing for Freedom
These words inspired Bet. She decided to seek help from Theodore Sedgwick, a young lawyer who believed in ending slavery. According to Catharine Sedgwick, Elizabeth told him: "I heard that paper read yesterday, that says, all men are created equal, and that every man has a right to freedom. I'm not a dumb critter; won't the law give me my freedom?"
Sedgwick agreed to take her case. He also took the case of Brom, another enslaved person owned by Ashley. Sedgwick got help from Tapping Reeve, who started one of America's first law schools. These lawyers were very skilled. Some historians think they chose these cases to test if slavery was legal under the new state constitution.
Winning Her Freedom
The court case, Brom and Bett v. Ashley, happened in August 1781. It was held in Great Barrington. Sedgwick and Reeve argued that the part of the constitution saying "all men are born free and equal" meant slavery was illegal.
The jury agreed with Bet! She became the first African-American woman to be set free under the Massachusetts state constitution. The jury said that Brom and Bett were not, and had never been, John Ashley's legal property. The court also ordered Ashley to pay them for their work. Ashley first tried to appeal the decision, but then he gave up. He likely realized the court's decision about slavery was final.
Life After Freedom
After winning her freedom, Bet changed her name to Elizabeth Freeman. John Ashley asked her to come back and work for him for pay, but she chose to work for attorney Sedgwick's family instead. She worked for them until 1808. She was a senior servant and helped raise the Sedgwick children, who called her "Mumbet."
One of the Sedgwick children was Catharine Sedgwick, who grew up to be a famous writer. She wrote about Elizabeth Freeman's life. Another free Black man named Agrippa Hull also worked in the Sedgwick home. He had fought in the Revolutionary War.
Elizabeth Freeman became well-known for her skills as a healer, midwife, and nurse. After the Sedgwick children grew up, Freeman moved into her own house in Stockbridge. She lived near her daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Her Final Years and Legacy
No one knew Elizabeth Freeman's exact age, but her tombstone says she was about 85 when she died. She passed away in December 1829. She was buried in the Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge. Elizabeth Freeman is the only person not from the Sedgwick family buried in their plot. They put a special tombstone for her, which reads:
ELIZABETH FREEMAN, also known by the name of MUMBET died Dec. 28th 1829. Her supposed age was 85 Years. She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years; She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal. She neither wasted time nor property. She never violated a trust, nor failed to perform a duty. In every situation of domestic trial, she was the most efficient helper and the tenderest friend. Good mother, farewell.
Ending Slavery in Massachusetts
Elizabeth Freeman's court victory in 1781 was very important. It was used as a guide for other cases, like the appeal of Quock Walker v. Jennison. These cases together created the legal rules that ended slavery in Massachusetts. Vermont had already ended slavery in its constitution before this.
In Media and Art
- The TV show Liberty's Kids had an episode about Elizabeth Freeman called "Born Free and Equal." It first aired in 2003.
- Elizabeth Freeman's story was also featured on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. It turns out that her lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick, was the great-great-great-great-grandfather of actress Kyra Sedgwick, who was a guest on the episode.
- In 2020, an artist from Portugal named Joana Vasconcelos created a huge art piece to honor Freeman. It was called Valkyrie Mumbet and was shown at the MassArt Art Museum in Boston.
