♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Crossley: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST, AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'M CALLIE CROSSLEY, HOST OF "UNDER THE RADAR," 89.7.

TONIGHT: ELIZABETH FREEMAN.

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, AND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF, AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

ONCE SHE WAS FREE, SHE CHOSE HER OWN NAME--ELIZABETH FREEMAN.

BUT, AS AN ENSLAVED WOMAN LIVING IN MASSACHUSETTS, SHE WAS CALLED MUM BETT, OR BETT.

IN A BOLD ACT OF RESISTANCE, FREEMAN WENT TO COURT AND WON-- THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN A "FREEDOM SUIT."

IT WAS 1781, ONE YEAR AFTER THE CREATION OF THE STATE'S 1780 CONSTITUTION, WHICH DECLARED SLAVERY ILLEGAL IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

DURING THIS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, A TRIBUTE TO A WOMAN WHOSE REMARKABLE STORY HAS BEEN LARGELY UNKNOWN-- ELIZABETH "MUM BETT" FREEMAN.

JOINING US REMOTELY: L'MERCHIE FRAZIER, A VISUAL ACTIVIST AND DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION FOR THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN BOSTON AND NANTUCKET; SOPHIA HALL IS THE DEPUTY LITIGATION DIRECTOR FOR LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN BOSTON.

AND KYERA SINGLETON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ROYALL HOUSE AND SLAVE QUARTERS IN MEDFORD.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

I'M STARTING WITH YOU KYERA BECAUSE I WANT TO SET THE ENVIRONMENT BY WHICH ELISABETH FREEMAN, MULTIPLE BETT, THIS IS ONE GUY, PREMASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTION, TELL US ABOUT HIM.

>> YEAH, SO I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT ELISABETH FREEMAN IS THAT SHE IS EMERGING WITHIN A COMMUNITY OF FREE AND ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY CHALLENGEING THE COURTS IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT LEGAL ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

SO EARLY ON AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 18th CENTURY, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A MAN NAMED ADAM WHO ACTUALLY SUES FOR HIS FREEDOM IN 1701 AND HE IS AWARDED HIS FREEDOM OF IN 1703.

AND THAT BECOMES THE BASIS OF THE FIRST ANTISLAVERY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

A FEW YEARS BEFER ELISABETH FREEMAN LAUNCHES HER SUIT, GROUPS OF BLACK MEN ACTUALLY USUALLY PETITION.

THEY ALMOST ALWAYS FAIL HOWEVER IT'S BUILDING UP THE CASE FOR LEGAL PRECEDENCE.

BY THE TIME WE GET TO ELISABETH FREEMAN SHE IS SOME AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU HAVE WALKER THAT LEADS TO THE EVENTUALLY ABOLITION OF SLAVE RIFF IN MASSACHUSETTS.

>> Crossley: OKAY ONE THING TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT FOR ELISABETH FREEMAN, SOME OF THOSE CASES PEOPLE WERE ASKING FOR VERY SPECIFIC KINDS OF DAMAGES.

BUT ELISABETH FREEMAN WAS ARGUING HEY, THIS WHOLE THING IS WRONG.

I SHOULD HAVE MY WHOLE PERSONHOOD, MY WHOLE PERSON BACK, MY HUMANITY.

>> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

>> Crossley: SOPHIA YOU RAISED SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS SO INTERESTING, WE HAVE FIXED IN OUR MINDS THIS NARRATIVE DIFFERENT FROM THE NORTH AND SOUTH VEEZ AVEE WHAT SLAVERYR!VIS-A-VISAWAY SLAVERY IS, WE ARE CARRYING IN OUR HEADS THE SOUTHERN NARRATIVE FOR WHAT SLAVERY IS ABOUT.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE COULD BE PETITIONING FOR THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND THROUGH LEGAL MEANS.

TALK ABOUT WHY THAT WAS IMPORTANT GOING THE LEGAL ROUTE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU SORT OF HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHICH IS THERE IS AN OVERSHARING THROUGH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, RIGHT?

AND ABOUT MANY MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE RIGHT TO EMANCIPATION.

BUT WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE USE OF JURISPRUDENCE AS THE USE OF FREEDOM AND EVEN IF WE HEAR ABOUT IT AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT NARRATIVE, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT IN THE TERMS OF THE ENSLAVED PERSON IN THAT TYPE OF ADVOCACY.

IT IS REALLY STARTLING FOR ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING TO THE SLOW AND DON'T KNOW, A MEN'S OF ASSERTING A LEGALITY CLAIM TO SEEK FREEDOM, RIGHT?

SO IT'S BRINGING A CASE TO COURT AND SAYING THE REMEDY OR THE OUTCOME OF WHAT I WANT IS TO FOR YOU TO FREE MY PERSONHOOD.

THEY'RE FAIRLY COMMON IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT IN THE 1800S, BEFORE MOST PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT DRED SCOTT IN THE 1850S, IN THE 1800S IN MISSOURI, WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT HOW DO YOU USE JURISPRUDENCE TO GAIN FREEDOM, THERE WERE CREATIVE ARGUMENTS.

HISTORICALLY, THE ARGUMENT WAS I AM NOT A BLACK FERN.

I MAY HAVE A DROP OF WHITE OR A NATIVE AMERICAN, I DON'T QUALIFY AS A BLACK PERSON WHO SHOULD BE ENSLAVED.

WE SEE THE EVOLUTION OF THIS LITIGATION TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF RIGHTS GIVEN THROUGH VARIOUS STATES.

MISSOURI IS A HOTBED IN THE 1800S, BECAUSE MISSOURI RECOGNIZES THAT IF YOU COME THROUGH A FREE STATE EVEN IF YOU LAND IN A STATE WHERE THEY HAVE SLAVERY, THAT TRANSIT THROUGH, WHICH IS KIND OF MODERN DAY COMMERCE CLAUSE, IS A RIGHT TO FREEDOM TO YOUR PERSONHOOD.

SO MISSOURI HAS A TON OF FREEDOM LAWSUITS IN THE 1800S USING THAT LEGAL ANALYSIS.

MS. FREEMAN IS BASICALLY ON THE BEGINNING OF THAT PRECIPICE, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THIS IS IN THE 1700S, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SHE IS USING -- SHE IS USING A CONVERSATION THROUGH A CONSTITUTION THAT'S SO NEW THAT'S NEWER THAN WHAT THE COUNTRY HAS HAD, RIGHT, TO CREATE JURISPRUDENCE, TO CREATE A LEGAL ARGUMENT.

LIKE SO MANY IMPACT LAWYERS LIKE MYSELF, SHE IS BASICALLY SAYING HEY MODERN DAY WORLD, OUR VALUES OR NORMS THE WAY THE WORLD FUNCTIONS NEED TO FOLLOW OUR LAWS AND OUR LAWS STAY ON FREE.

>> Crossley: HERE WE HAVE GOT THE SETTING.

HERE WE ARE L'MERCHIE AND WHAT MAKES ELISABETH FREEMAN'S MUM BETT'S STORY SO EXCELLING IS SHE WAS AN ENSLAVED WOMAN WHO COULD NOT READ OR WRITE.

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE PEOPLE WHO ENSLAVED HER, WHAT WAS GOING ON L'MERCHIE WAS THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR FREEDOM FROM BRITAIN.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

TALK ABOUT IT PLEASE.

>> OKAY, SO BASED ON MUM BETT'S SERVING MEN WHO ARE ACTUALLY DRAFTING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF SHESTLED, WHICH SHEFFIELD WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUNICIPAL DOCUMENT, THAT DECLARATION WOULD HAVE APPLIED TO THE MEN AND THOSE WHO WERE LIKE THEM IN THAT ROOM IN THE CLAUSE OF ALL BORN FREE AND EQUAL.

MUM BETT IS SERVING THEM.

SHE HEARS THIS, SHE STORES IT AWAY AND SHE SAYS WELL WHEN SHE IS ACCOSTED BY PLTION ASHLEY IN THE HOME OF WHERE SHE WAS IN SERVITUDE.

>> Crossley: SHE WAS IN THE HOME OF COLONEL JOHN ASHLEY.

GO AHEAD.

>> SHE HAD BEEN PURCHASED BY HIM WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD AND SERVED HIM UNTIL SHE WAS ALMOST 40 YEARS OLD.

SHE AND HER DAUGHTER WERE DWILG WHEN ALSO ASHLEY GAVE A COMMAND -- WHEN MRS. ASHLEY GAVE A SHE TOOK A HOT IRON AND INTERVENED, AND MUM BETT HAD A MARK ON HER THE REST EVER HER LIFE.

TO FIDUCIARY HER TO DISMISS HERSELF FROM THIS HOUSEHOLD AND RUN AWAY BUT SHE ALSO THEN ASKS AN ANTISLAVERY LAWYER THEODORE SEDWICK, ON THE BASIS OF ALL FREE AND EQUAL AREN'T I TO BE FREE?

SO HE THEN RELUCTANTLY TAKES THE CASE.

THEE DOAR SEDWICK IS ONE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FOUND TO HAVE A BILL OF SALE OF A NEGRO SERVANT, NEGRO WOMAN SERVANT IN 1777.

SO THERE IS ALSO THIS TENSION THAT IS THERE, BETWEEN SLAVERY AND FREEDOM AND THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGING IN THIS PRACTICE TO BE TRUSTED.

BUT MUM BETTLINESS FREEMAN, IS AWARE OF WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.

AND ON THE BASIS OF THAT SHE'S ABLE TO ASK HIM TO REPRESENT HER CASE.

>> Crossley: SO L'MERCHIE THEY THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST A PIECE OF THE FURNITURE REALLY.

HERE IS WHAT SHE HEARD, THAT TURNED HER AROUND.

RESOLVED "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."

>> YES.

>> Crossley: SO SHE THOUGHT WELL WHY WOULDN'T THAT APPLY TO ME?

AND FROM THERE TOOK IT ON.

>> YES.

>> Crossley: LET ME UNDERSCORE SOMETHING YOU SAID ABOUT THEODORE SEDWICK, KYERA IS NODDING HER HEAD AND NEEDS TO PICK UP ON THIS.

HE HAD ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN HIS SERVICE.

SHE WENT TO A LAWYER, THIS IS THE TENSION IN MASSACHUSETTS WHO IS HELPING TO RIGHT THESE RESOLVES, RIGHT THESE WORDS, NOT THINKING ABOUT HER, EMPLOYS OR DOESN'T EMPLOY, QUOTE UNQUOTE OWNS ENSLAVED PERSONS KYERA BUT YET TAKES THE CASE.

>> YES.

SO I MEAN I THINK IT ALLOWS US TO GET TO THE TENSION BETWEEN SLAVERY AND FREEDOM AND TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY UNPACK, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS EVEN, YOU KNOW, AFTERWARDS.

THAT NO ONE IN MASSACHUSETTS IS COMPLETELY FREE OF ENGAGING IN SLAVERY.

EITHER PEOPLE ARE ENSLAVERS THEMSELVES OR THEY HIRE OUT SERVANTS WHO ARE ENSLAVED TO OTHER PEOPLE, THEY ARE DIRECTLY PROFITING FROM THE MONEY THAT IS COMING INTO MASSACHUSETTS BECAUSE OF THE SLAVE TRADE.

AND SO THAT TENSION TO ME, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS US TO TALK ABOUT HOW PROMINENT SLAVERY WAS AND HOW PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE CONTRADICTORY IDEALS, RIGHT?

THAT ONE COULD HAVE ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THEIR SERVICE AND STILL TAKE ON THIS CASE BECAUSE FOR THEM THAT IS A POLITICAL CHALLENGE, AND IF SUCCESSFUL, THAT IS GOING TO ADVANCE THEIR OWN POLITICAL GOALS AND IDEALS.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT TENSION IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK THE TENSION AFTERWARDS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.

THAT, YOU KNOW, ELISABETH FREEMAN, SHE GAINS HER FREEDOM AND THEN SHE ESSENTIALLY WORKS IN DOMESTIC LABOR FOR THAT FAMILIAR.

SHE'S DOING THE SAME THING THAT SHE WAS DOING WHEN SHE WAS ENSLAVED.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT NOW SHE HAS HER FREEDOM.

SO THAT TENSION IS THERE AS WELL.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE FOR FREE BLACK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE RACISM DOESN'T EXIST, DOESN'T GO AWAY, SEGREGATION DOESN'T GO AWAY IN MACHES, IT'S ALL STILL THERE -- MASSACHUSETTS IT'S ALL THERE EVEN SLAVERY ENDS.

>> Crossley: HE LET FREE THE OTHER ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN HIS SERVICE BUT AS MUM BETT WAS WORKING FOR HIM, AT THAT POINT SHE WAS ELISABETH FREEMAN, SHE WORKED WITH HIM UNTIL SHE DIED, ACTUALLY, BUT SHE'S NEXT TO HIM IN THE FAMILY PLOT.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

HER STORY AFTER SHE GOT FREE, SHE MOVED, BOUGHT LAND IN MASSACHUSETTS, LIVED HER LIFE.

WHY IS IT WE DON'T KNOW THIS STORY, L'MERCHIE?

YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS STORY.

I DIDN'T KNOW THIS STORY.

SOPHIA DIDN'T KNOW THIS STORY.

KYERA KNEW IT BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT.

>> WELL I KNOW THIS STORY.

I'VE BEEN TELLING THIS STORY FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS AT THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY BECAUSE IT MARKS THAT LINE BETWEEN THE END OF THE -- THE BEGINNING OF SLAVERY IN MASSACHUSETTS BY THE BODY OF LIBERTIES, ADOPTED IN 1641, THAT AMENDMENT TO IT IN 1646, THAT ALLOWS FOR THE PETITION OF FREEDOM AND THEN THE END OF SLAIFARY IN 1783.

HER CASE IS REALLY CRITICAL TO THAT -- SLAVERY IN 1783.

HER CASE IS REALLY CRITICAL, SO YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT OUT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HER BEING ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN IN MASSACHUSETTS TO OWN PROPERTY.

THAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO HER ALSO BEING ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN TO HAVE A WILL.

AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WE LOOK AT WHAT SOPHIA HAS OFFERED IN TERMS OF JURISPRUDENCE.

THIS IS A ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE USE AND OCCUPATION OF THAT LEGAL SYSTEM, BY THOSE WHO ARE ENSLAVED.

AND SO AS WE LOOK AT MUM BETT'S CASE WE ARE ABLE TO SEE SHE WAS A WOMAN NOT ONLY LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION BUT SHE WAS A WOMAN OF INTEGRITY, OF HONESTY AND A PURSUANT PERSON IN THE PUBLIC LIFE OF LIBERATION AND FREEDOM.

USING THIS APPARATUS TO REALLY GET FREE.

BECAUSE SLAVERY WAS A CONTRACT.

SLAVERY, YOU KNOW, IN MOST CASES WAS THAT.

>> Crossley: A COMMERCIAL CONTRACT.

>> A COMMERCIAL CONTRACT, EXACTLY.

SO THIS IDEA OF PROPERTY BECOMES PARAMOUNT TO BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE ONE'S PERSONHOOD AS AN ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE PERSON IN THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMONWEALTH.

SO AS WE LOOK AT HER AVAILABILITY OF THINKING AND APPLYING HERSELF, IT IS SAID THAT SHE WAS INDEED A VERY FINE SERVANT.

BUT SHE WAS NEVER SERVILE.

BECAUSE IN HER SPHERE AS KATHERINE SEDWICK SPEAKS OF HER IN 1853, WHEN SHE IS WRITING ABOUT MUM BETT SHE IS SPEAKING TO A WOMAN WHO WAS SUPERIOR IN HER SPHERE, NONE THAT MATCH HER.

>> Crossley: SOPHIA SO YOU AND I ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T KNOW TO BE CLEAR IN THIS CONVERSATION.

YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT STORY MEAN TO YOU?

>> WELL, SO LET ME SAY TWO THINGS.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST YOU AND ME CALLIE AND HOPEFULLY TODAY'S SHOW CHANGES THAT.

WHAT STRIKES ME IS MODERN DAY, WHITE MAJORITY VOICE, THAT IS CHANGING THAT'S OBVIOUSLY CHANGING BY THE YOUNG LADIES THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY BUT THAT MAY NOT STILL BE THE MAJORITY.

AND SO PART OF WHY WE DON'T LEARN THESE THINGS IN SCHOOL WHY THEY'RE NOT WRITTEN ABOUT IN HISTORY BOOKS IS BECAUSE BLACK VOICES AND BLACK DECISION MAKING DOESN'T NECESSARILY GO INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT CURRICULUM OR THOSE TEXTBOOKS RIGHT, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THE OTHER PIECE OF THE STORY THAT NONE OF US SEEM TO KNOW AND I IMAGINE MAYBE EVEN KYERA AND L'MERCHIE DON'T KNOW, WHAT IS THE STORY OF MS. FREEMAN PRIOR TO HER LAWSUIT.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN SHE WAS BORN, IF SHE HAS CHILDREN, IF SHE IS MARRIED, IF SHE HAS SIBLINGS, WHAT STATE SHE WAS BORN IN, WHAT HER FAVORITE COLOR WAS, WHAT SHE BROUGHT TO THIS WORLD.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND IS WE'RE CELEBRATING SOMETIMES THE ABSENCE OF OUR STORIES.

BECAUSE WE ARE ERASED FROM HISTORY.

AND SO UNFORTUNATELY AS WE'RE DIGGING OUT SOME OF THIS HISTORY AS WE'RE LEARNING IT AS WE ARE CAPTURING AND SHARING IT THROUGH MUSEUMS, THROUGH CATALOG IT IS STILL UNFORTUNATELY HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH THAT IS LOST AND MAY ALWAYS BE LOSS.

>> Crossley: SO KYERA, YOU ARE AT THE ROYALL HOUSE AND IT IS YOUR JOB TO LOOK AT THE ENSLAVEMENT AS IT EXISTED HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN IT.

SO HOW DO YOU SEE ELISABETH FREEMAN IN THIS AND WHAT BECAUSE YOU DID KNOW ABOUT HER, WHAT STRIKES YOU THAT OTHER -- OTHERS OF US SHOULD TAKE AWAY PARTICULARLY IN THIS BLACK HISTORY MONTH?

>> WELL, I THINK FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ELISABETH FREEMAN IS IN A LONG LINE OF BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE ALWAYS UTILIZED THE COURTS TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES, TO ADVOCATE FOR OTHER BLACK COMMUNITIES.

AND TO DEFINE FREEDOM ON THEIR OWN TERMS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THAT AS A 19th CENTURY STORY BUT REALLY IT IS AN 18th CENTURY STORY.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ELISABETH FREEMAN, PEOPLE LIKE BELINDA SUTTON, TO TALK ABOUT WAYS BLACK WOMEN IN HISTORY HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENTS.

WE TALK TOO OFTEN ABOUT ABOLITION THROUGH THE STORIES OF BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK LAWYERS.

TAUGHT THROUGH THE WAY THEY'RE UTILIZING THE LAW, THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT THROUGH THE WAY BLACK WOMEN BECOME PROPERTY OWNERS AND TEN THE OTHER PART OF IT IS TO NOT SAY THAT WE NEED TO JUST KNOW WHO PEOPLE LIKE ELISABETH FREEMAN ARE, WE DO.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT ANY TYPE OF SOCIAL MOVEMENT WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE ROLE OF BLACK WOMEN THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF IT.

TO YOU KNOW I THINK FOR ME IN DOING THIS WORK NOT ONLY CAN IT BE TO THINK ABOUT HOW HISTORY CAN BE REPAIRATIVE, BUT HOW HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRANSFORMED ABOUT THE ACTIONS OF BLACK WOMEN IN PARTICULAR.

>> Crossley: L'MERCHIE I JUST NOTE AND I GUESS ALL OF YOU WOULD NOTE IT TOO, IS SHE CHOSE FREEMAN AS HER LAST NAME.

>> YES.

>> Crossley: I GUESS IT WOULD BE ODD TO BE FREEWOMAN BUT FREEMAN SPEAKS TO WHAT SHE THOUGHT ARE OF HERSELF AND WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO AND WHAT HER MISSION WAS.

PRETTY POWERFUL.

>> YES IT IS, SHE ANNOUNCES HER STATUS AS HER NAME IS CHANGED.

THAT COURT CASE IS PIVOTAL TO HER LIFE AS AN INDEPENDENT AND FREE WOMAN.

WHEN SHE PURCHASED PROPERTY, THAT NAME FREEMAN AS A FREE PERSON IS ON THAT DEED.

AND AS SHE THEN ESTABLISHES HERSELF IN HER WILL, WE FIND THAT THERE SIGNIFICANTLY SHE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO WHO SHE'S LEAVING HER MONEY TO IN HER WILL.

AND HOW THIS CONTINUUM OF PEOPLE WHO KYERA SPEAKS TO HAS THEN EVEN PRODUCED A WEBB DUBOIS WHO IS HER GREAT GRANDSON THAT IS NOT ACCIDENTAL THAT THIS IS A PLANFUL INTENTIONAL ACT OF HERS TO THEN ESTABLISH A -- THIS INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FREE.

SHE HAS BEEN A MIDWIFE IN ADDITION TO HER DOMESTIC SERVICE.

BUT WHAT THAT CASE DOES, IN ADDITION TO HER DECLARING HER IDENTITY AS A FREE WOMAN, IT ALSO ALLOWS HER TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT COMPENSATION FOR HER LABOR.

AND THEN AMASS ENOUGH MONEY, IT WASN'T MAGICAL, SHE AMASSED AND EARNED ENOUGH MONEY TO PURCHASE PROPERTY.

TO PAY BACK THEODORE SEDWICK FOR HER DEFENSE AND THEN RELIEVE MONEY.

SO THIS ACT OF HERS HAS SO MANY RAM PHYSICS, ACROSS -- RAMIFICATIONS ACROSS BOUNDARIES AND NETWORKS OF THE STATES THAT ARE HERE IN NEW ENGLAND AND THEN FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN SOUTH THAT CATCH UP LATER TO THIS KIND OF THINKING, IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO DO IT, NOT THAT THEY WEREN'T THINKING IT AT ALL BUT THIS -- THE ACTIONS THAT ARE PROVEN AND DOCUMENTED BY HER CASE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US UNDERSTANDING WHAT FREEDOM REALLY IS AND WHAT THOSE LINES OF DEMARCATION BECOME.

>> Crossley: SOPHIA, FREEMAN IN TODAY'S WORLD HOW DO YOU SEE IT AND HOW DO YOU SEE ELISABETH CLAIMING HER STATUS?

HOW ARE WE CLAIMING OUR STATUS?

>> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER RIGHT HERE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY CLIENTS IS A FREEMAN.

EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY COME FORWARD WITH BEING THE FIRST PERSON TO PUSH JURISPRUDENCE JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, TO SAY THIS WAS UNJUST, THIS WAS EXCESSIVE FORCE, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT CHANGING EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES THAT ARE SYSTEMATICALLY DRAWING PEOPLE OF COLOR OUT FROM PROMOTIONS, FROM ACCESS, TO FAIR DISCIPLINE, EVERY SINGLE PERSON I WORK FOR IS A FREEMAN.

>> Crossley: KYERA, SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

>> I MEAN IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

AND I -- YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR ME, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I OFTEN THINK ABOUT IN DOING THIS WORK IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE AS ATTUNED TO BLACK PEOPLE'S FREEDOM DREAMS AND THE PAST AS WE ARE TO THEM TODAY.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ELISABETH FREEMAN'S STORY CAN ALLOW US TO IMAGINE WHAT A MORE JUST FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.

RIGHT?

AND SO IT'S UNDERSTANDING THE PAST AND HOW THE PAST ARE PRESENT BUT ALSO, WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE A JUST FUTURE CAN LOOK LIKE.

AND BEING VERY INTENTIONAL THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT FOR OURSELVES.

AND I THINK ELISABETH FREEMAN WAS DOING THAT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FEEL VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT HER IN RELATION TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT L'MERCHIE REALLY BROUGHT OUT THAT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN IS THAT BLACK PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FREEDOM.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO DEFINE IT.

YOU CAN FINDER ALL OF THESE COURT CASES IN WHICH IF SOMEONE WAS ENSLAVED THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO THE COURTS.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TODAY TO HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND TO HAVE THAT BE AS WIDESPREAD AS POSSIBLE.

BECAUSE I THINK WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR HISTORY THROUGH A LENS OF IMPOSSIBLITY BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS POSSIBILITY.

AND ELISABETH FREEMAN IS AN COMEM PARTICULAREXEMPLAR OF THAT.

>> Crossley: WHERE WOULD YOU PUT ELISABETH FREEMAN?

>> ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10?

>> Crossley: WHAT DID YOU SAY L'MERCHIE?

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 MANY AN 11.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT, KYERA, YOU WERE SAYING.

>> I THINK SHE HAS TO BE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT?

SHE SHOULD BE -- WE SHOULD KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT HER AS WE DO ABOUT ROSA PACKERS OR HARRIET TUBMAN OR SOJOURNERRER TRUTH.

WE'LL UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ELISABETH FREEMAN, THAT HOW DO WE EVEN GET TO ROSA PARKS WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT WHO CAME BEFORE, YOU KNOW?

SO WE SHOULD BE CALLING HER NAME IN THE SAME BREATH.

>> Crossley: SOPHIA.

>> IT'S HEART TO ADD TO NAP ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

I HOPE TODAY'S SHOW DOES EXACTLY THAT FOR US.

ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> Crossley: ONE NOTE TO ALL OF YOU, THERE ARE PEOPLE LISTENING TO THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDERSTANDING THERE WAS SLAVERY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEIR MINDS AROUND THAT AND THEN JUMP TO THAT TO AN ENSLAVED WOMAN WHO COULD NOT READ OR WRITE WHO WENT TO COURT AND WON.

THAT IS A REMARKABLE STORY.

THIS IS BLACK HISTORY AND AMERICAN HISTORY AS KYERA HAS SAID L'MERCHIE, MASSACHUSETTS HISTORY.

>> YES IT IS.

JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE READING AND WRITING AS ONE OF HER LITERACIES OR TWO OF HER LITERACIES BUT SHE HAD A DIFFERENT KIND OF LITERACY.

SHE WAS EXTREMELY BRILLIANT AND INTELLIGENT AND KATHERINE SEDWICK TALKED ABOUT HER INTELLIGENCE AND HOW SHE APPLIED IT TO EVERYTHING SHE DID.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS AS A PART OF WHAT KYERA REFERRED TO AS REPAIRATIVE, THIS NARRATIVE OF REPAIRATIVE JUSTICE, BECOMES OUR FOCUS RATHER THAN THE PARANOIA OF WHAT'S BEEN THE BLAME-GAME AND ALL OF THAT.

WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WOMEN WHO WERE TRIUMPHANT LIKE ELISABETH FREEMAN.

>> Crossley: WELL, THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO END THIS CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU ALL FOR ADDING SO MUCH TO THE STORY OF ELISABETH MUM BETT FREEMAN.

THAT IS THE END OF OUR BROADCASTS, THE END OF OUR SHOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AND GOOD NIGHT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org