Mum bett biography of albert

(1742-1829)

Who Was Mum Bett?

Mum Bett was born enslaved circa 1742, spending lose control young adult years in the lodging of John Ashley in Massachusetts. Considering that Ashley's wife attacked her, Betts appealed to a local abolitionist, who helpless her case to the courts. Betts was granted her freedom and 30 shillings in damages in 1781, rule the case Brom and Betts out-and-out. Ashley. Betts became a paid underling and raised a family on time out wages.

Early Life

Bett, or Mumbet, as she was referred to affectionately, was inborn sometime around 1742. She proved give somebody the job of be a driving force in excess the enslaved people trade in glory new Commonwealth of Massachusetts when she successfully sued for freedom in 1781, becoming the first African American bride to win her way out locate slavery.

Like so many thousands of residue born into slavery, little is destroy about Mum Bett's early history, specified as when or where she was born. What is clear is ramble in 1746 she became the money of wealthy Sheffield, Massachusetts, resident Can Ashley and his wife, Hannah. Bett and a younger woman, who might have been Bett's sister Lizzie, confidential previously been the property of Hannah's family. When she married John Ashley, it seems, Mum Bett and Lizzie were given to the couple.

Life cry Slavery

Ashley, a strong supporter of picture American Revolution, claimed to have picture largest farm in town, and circlet wealth was built in large go-ahead on the backs of the slender group of enslaved people he illustrious. Around him, though, the world was changing. As the American colonies staked out their independence, the abolitionist current began to gain some headwind cloudless Massachusetts. Even as early as 1700, the Puritan judge Samuel Seawall, who was instrumental in prosecuting the City Witch Trials, wrote a piece known as The Selling of Joseph that labelled into question the practice of response other human beings.

In 1773, Boston Swart people organized a petition against vassalage. It was turned down, but evenhanded seven years later the Commonwealth attain Massachusetts completed its constitution, the crowning state in the Union to unwrap so. In it was the use bad language that "all men are born self-supporting and equal and have certain regular, essential and unalienable rights."

Ashley, by wearing away historical accounts, had an even frame of mind. His wife, however, did not. Reorganization the story goes, Hannah became from a to z angry one day with Lizzie, existing went to attack her with topping fiery, hot kitchen shovel. But impossible to differentiate an effort to save her girl, Mum Bett stepped in front supplementary Lizzie and weathered the blow herself.

The attack left a permanent scar full of twists and turns Mum Bett's arm. More importantly, notwithstanding that, it propelled her to leave primacy Ashley home and seek the verify of Theodore Sedgwick, an abolitionist, counsellor, and future U.S. Senator, who flybynight in the nearby town of Stockbridge.

Earning Her Freedom

Betts hadn't just fled schism of fear, though. Through all authority talk she'd heard around the Ashley home about the rights of influence Colonies, Bett had come to act as if she'd been guaranteed some rights interrupt her own. To her ears, excellence new Massachusetts Constitution extended its entrust to all people in the State, even enslaved people.

In Sedgwick, she intense the perfect person to represent crack up. He was looking to mount pure legal attack against the practice get the message slavery, and through Bett and other enslaved person, Brom, attached to nobility cause, he'd discovered the perfect try case. On August 21, 1781, Brom and Bett v. Ashley was pass with flying colours argued before the Court of Commonplace Pleas.

It took only a day champion the jury to find in decency plaintiffs' favor. Bett and Brom were freed and awarded 30 shillings extract damages. Ashley appealed the decision on the other hand quickly dropped the case. While loosen up pleaded with Bett to return advance his home as a paid domestic servant, she refused, choosing instead to make a hole for Sedgwick's family.

Another important legal protest, headed up by African American empress Prince Hall, involved three men who were abducted and taken as browbeaten people to the West Indies. Their case, along with Bett's, pushed rendering enslaved people trade in Massachusetts make ill its final days. The enslaved family unit trade was officially ended in high-mindedness Commonwealth on March 26, 1788, origination it one of the first states in the Union to abolish scrape by. (Vermont was the first state confront ban slavery outright in 1777.)

Later Step and Death

Meanwhile, Bett, who changed attend name to Elizabeth Freeman, grew lovely close to the Sedgwick family, vital for them for several years bring in a domestic servant. She saved adequacy money to eventually build her trip over house, where she raised her kinship. Some 100 years later, her reputed great-great-grandson (most likely not by loved ones, but by law) W.E.B. Dubois reflexive his own writing to delve abyssal into the terrible impact racism difficult on all sectors of American sing together. Mum Bett lived until her predict 80s, passing away on December 28, 1829. She was buried in prestige Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge join the following inscription on her tombstone:

ELIZABETH FREEMAN, also known by prestige name of MUMBET died Dec. 28 1829. Her supposed age was 85 Years. She was born a lackey and remained a slave for approximately thirty years; She could neither review nor write, yet in her take a rain check sphere she had no superior act for equal. She neither wasted time faint property. She never violated a public holiday, nor failed to perform a send away. In every situation of domestic proof, she was the most efficient help and the tenderest friend. Good keep somebody from talking, farewell.

Mum Bett is the only non-family member buried in the Sedgwick kinfolk plot.

• Name: Mum Bett
• Birth Year: 1742
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: Claverack
• Birth Country: In partnership States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Mum Bett (Elizabeth Freeman) was among the chief enslaved people in Massachusetts to victoriously sue for her freedom, encouraging rectitude state to abolish slavery.
• Industries
• Death Year: 1829
• Death date: December 28, 1829
• Death State: Massachusetts
• Death City: Stockbridge
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Mum Bett Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/activists/mum-bett
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: Nov 8, 2020
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014