Lucy Terry facts for kids

Lucy Terry Prince (1733–1821) was an important American writer and settler. She was born in Africa and brought to America as an enslaved person. Later, her future husband bought her freedom. Lucy Terry Prince wrote a famous poem called "Bars Fight". It is the oldest known piece of literature by an African American.

Early Life and Freedom

Lucy Terry was born in Africa in 1733. When she was a baby, she was kidnapped and sold into slavery. She was brought to Rhode Island, America. At about five years old, she was sold to Ebenezer Wells in Deerfield, Massachusetts. He allowed her to be baptized into the Christian faith. This happened during a time of religious revival called the Great Awakening.

In 1756, a free black man named Abijah Prince bought Lucy's freedom. He was from Curaçao. Lucy and Abijah got married that same year. In 1764, the Princes moved to Guilford, Vermont. They had six children there: Tatnai, Cesar, Drucilla, Durexa, Abijah Jr., and Festus. Their son Cesar later fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Her Famous Poem

Lucy Terry's poem, "Bars Fight", was written in 1746. It is a type of poem called a ballad. The poem tells about an attack by Native Americans on two white families. This attack happened on August 25, 1746, in an area of Deerfield called "The Bars." "The Bars" was a colonial name for a meadow.

For many years, the poem was passed down by word of mouth. This is called oral tradition. It was finally published in 1855. This happened in a book called History of Western Massachusetts. "Bars Fight" is the only poem by Lucy Terry that we still have today. However, she was known for her "rhymes and stories" during her lifetime.

Lucy Terry's poem is considered the oldest known work of literature by an African American. However, Phillis Wheatley's book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was the first by an African American to be printed in 1773.

Fighting for Her Family

Lucy Terry Prince and Abijah Prince became successful farmers in Guilford, Vermont. But they faced problems from a neighbor named John Noyes. He was from a family that owned enslaved people. Noyes and his workers damaged the Princes' farm. They also filed many lawsuits against them. The Princes won every case. But the problems did not stop.

After a very bad incident, the Princes hired a lawyer named Samuel Knight. In 1785, Lucy spoke to the Governor of Vermont. She successfully argued her case. The Governor agreed that the Noyes family had "much injured" and "greatly oppressing" her and her husband.

Soon after, a group of people gathered by Noyes attacked the Princes' farm at night. They hurt a farmhand and burned crops. The state of Vermont put these attackers in prison. Lucy Terry Prince was a strong advocate for her family.

In 1803, Lucy was struggling financially. She went to the Vermont Supreme Court. She argued for her sons against false land claims. She won the case and was given $200. Lucy Terry Prince was the first woman to argue a case before this high court. She stood up against two of the state's top lawyers. One of them later became the Chief Justice.

In 1806, Lucy convinced the town leaders of Sunderland, Vermont to buy more land for her family. This land helped her provide for them.

Lucy also tried to get her son Festus into Williams College. She reportedly gave a three-hour speech to the college's leaders. However, Festus was denied entry because of his skin color. This story was told by people who knew Lucy. They said young boys often visited her to hear her talk.

Death

Lucy Terry Prince's husband died in 1794. By 1803, Lucy had moved to Sunderland. She rode on horseback every year to visit her husband's grave. She continued this tradition until she died in 1821.

An obituary for Lucy Prince was published on August 21, 1821. It was in The Frankylin Herald newspaper in Greenfield, Massachusetts. It said she was 97 years old when she died. It also mentioned her strong speaking skills. She was respected by those who knew her.

Historical Records

Only one letter written by Abijah Prince has survived. No letters written by Lucy have been found. Records show that the family sometimes bought paper. This makes people think that Lucy might have written other works. These writings may have been lost during the attacks on her home. They might also have been lost as her family's situation became harder.