Profile: Elizabeth Freeman
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett was born in New York around 1774. She was born as a slave since her parents were African Americans. Elizabeth and her sister became property of Colonel John Ashley in Sheffield, Massachusetts. She got married at a young age and had a daughter; her husband died fighting in the war for independence. She became very knowledgeable about the bill of rights which stated that all men are born free and equal. When Massachusetts adopted the bill of rights, she was ready to apply it to herself. In 1781 Freeman received a severe wound to her arm because she was trying to protect her sister from her Masters' wife. Due to that incident Freeman ran away and sought legal help to gain her freedom. Was at that point her name got changed to Elizabeth Freeman. After that she started working as a paid domestic servant in the Sedgwick household and moved with them to Stockbridge in 1785. She worked stably with the Sedgwick family until she earned enough money to buy her own house and retire. After her death she left a tremendous legacy to her daughter and grand daughter. She was a great woman who fought for her rights and earned the respect from everybody.
This story about Elizabeth Freeman teach us how strong slavery used to be back in the days. Many women like Freeman tried to obtain their freedom by escaping from their master or by seeking legal help, but not many accomplished to get the freedom they wanted. With the protestants in the streets spreading the word that all men were born free and equal a lot of people got open minded about slavery. That was one of the major causes that led slaves...