Sally Maria Diggs facts for kids
Sally Maria Diggs (born around 1851) was an African-American girl known by her nickname, "Pinky." She was born into slavery, which meant she was treated as property and not allowed to be free. Her story became very famous in 1860 when a well-known preacher named Henry Ward Beecher helped buy her freedom during a church service in Brooklyn, New York City. This event showed many people how wrong slavery was.
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Who Was Sally Maria Diggs?
Sally Maria Diggs was born in Charles County, Maryland around 1851. She was born into slavery, a system where people were owned by others and forced to work without pay or freedom. Her exact date of birth and death are not fully known. She became known as "Pinky" to many people.
A Famous Moment for Freedom
In 1860, Sally Maria Diggs's story touched many hearts. At this time, slavery was a big issue in the United States. Many people, like Henry Ward Beecher, believed that slavery was wrong and fought for its end.
What Happened at Plymouth Church?
During a church service at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, Henry Ward Beecher spoke about Sally Maria Diggs. He believed that no child should be enslaved. He famously said, "No child should be in slavery, let alone a child like this." To show how strongly he felt, he asked the people in the church to help buy her freedom. The people in the church raised $900, which was a lot of money back then, to purchase her freedom. This moment was a powerful symbol of hope and the fight against slavery.
Her Legacy Lives On
The story of Sally Maria Diggs and her freedom was celebrated in many artworks at the time. One famous painting is "Freedom Ring" by Eastman Johnson. This shows how important her story was to people.
Years later, in 1927, "Pinky" returned to Plymouth Church. She was there to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Henry Ward Beecher's first sermon at the church. This showed that her story was still remembered and valued.
More recently, in 2010, a sculptor named Meredith Bergmann created art to honor "Pinky." This shows that Sally Maria Diggs's fight for freedom and her famous story continue to inspire people even today.
