Elizabeth Freeman to be Honored at State House Event| 03:46PM / Wednesday, February 19, 2014 | |
 | | A portrait of Elizabeth Freeman, aka Mum Bett, in her later years. |
BOSTON, Mass. — One of the Berkshires most notable historical figures, Elizabeth Freeman, will be honored at the State House on Feb. 25.
State Rep. William "Smitty" Pigantelli, D-Lenox, along with Reps. Byron Rushing and Russell Holmes, and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, will host the event from 11:30 to 1 in the House Chamber.
It will include keynote speaker Chief Justice Roderick Ireland and a re-enactment of the story of Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, by actress and professional storyteller Tammy Denease.
"In the Berkshires, Mum Bett is a well-known figure and Black History Month presented me an exciting opportunity to share the inspiring story of such a strong female with my colleagues and the public in Boston, where her story is unfortunately not as prominent," Pignatelli said.
Mum Bett was one of the first enslaved persons in Massachusetts to file a suit in court and win her freedom. Born into slavery in New York, she came to Massachusetts as a present to the Ashley family of Sheffield, whose home is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations, the 1735 Ashley House is the oldest house still standing in the Berkshires. The Ashley household was a site of many political discussions and it was there that Mum Bett heard the reading of the Massachusetts Constitution. She sought the counsel of a young lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick of Stockbridge, and asked for his help in suing for her freedom. Her case was heard in Great Barrington, in Pignatelli's district, in 1781. She became the first African-American woman to be set free under the state Constitution. Her court case, Brom and Bett v. Ashley, was later cited in the appeal of the more well-known case of Walker v Jennison that effectively ended slavery in Massachusetts.
Freeman went to work for the Sedgwicks and is buried in the "Sedgwick Pie" in Stockbridge Cemetery.
"It is an honor to assist in recognizing such an unknown prominent figure in both African-American history and women's history," said Holmes, who represents Boston. "Mum Bett is an important figure whom all should know."
Barbara Erickson, president and CEO of the Trustees of Reservations, said the organization was grateful that the lawmakers were highlighting Freeman's important role in state history.
"We welcome all to visit Ashley House in the Berkshires to see firsthand the backdrop to her important story," said.
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