On Thursday, June 20 at 2 p.m., the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village, in collaboration with the Falls Village Equity Project, will host “Honoring a Heroine: The MumBet Story.” This event features storyteller and museum educator Tammy Denease, who will bring to life the inspiring true story of Elizabeth “MumBet” Freeman.
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as MumBet, was an enslaved African nurse, midwife, and herbalist. Born around 1744 in Claverack, New York, she spent 30 years enslaved in the household of Colonel John Ashley in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Ashley was one of the creators of the 1773 Sheffield Declaration which stated that “Mankind in a state of nature are equal, free, and independent of each other, and have a right to the undisturbed enjoyment of their lives, their liberty and property.” This same language was used in the United States Declaration of Independence of 1776 and in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780. Evidence suggests that MumBet overheard these ideas when Colonel Ashley held events in his home and when the documents were read aloud in the public square. Seeking freedom, she turned to Theodore Sedgwick, a prominent attorney who helped draft the Sheffield Declaration with Colonel Ashley. MumBet, along with an enslaved man named Brom, began the process of fighting for their freedom. Historians note that Sedgwick, along with many of the lawyers in the area, decided to use the case as a “test case” to determine if slavery was constitutional under the new Massachusetts Constitution.
After gaining her freedom, MumBet took the name Elizabeth Freeman and worked as a nurse, healer, and midwife for the Sedgwick family. Her courageous legal battle and subsequent life story are testaments to her resilience and determination.
This all-ages program is free and open to the public. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about an important figure in American history and her lasting impact on the fight for freedom and equality.
