Black History We Didn’t Learn in Schools

As we enter Black History Month, an important opportunity arises to highlight Black stories that are not often talked about. There have been countless atrocities committed against black people that are too easily swept under the rug. For just two examples, redlining was a housing policy that systematically made it nearly impossible for Black families to obtain mortgages by declaring areas where black people lived as “hazardous.” Similarly, the origins of gynecology reveal a disturbing history of nonconsensual medical experimentation performed by white men on enslaved Black women. These realities highlight the need for American citizens to actively research and confront the history of slavery and systemic injustice in the United States. Understanding the past and being aware of our history is essential if we hope to move forward toward a future where everyone’s voices are heard and valued.

Historically, Black history has been erased or distorted in American textbooks. I recently learned about the “Lost Cause,” which is defined by Caroline Janney as “an interpretation of the American Civil War (1861–1865) that seeks to present the war from the perspective of Confederates and in the best possible terms.” The Lost Cause was an initiative developed by White Southerners to portray slavery and the actions of Confederate soldiers in a more positive light in order to preserve their reputations. This narrative created a romanticized version of the South that distorted historical truth and obscured the horrors of slavery. This is just one example of how Black history has been misrepresented or erased, making it all the more important to tell the stories that have been left out.

The truth is that we are often taught to view history as absolute fact. However, many history books fail to present the full picture and are inherently shaped by bias. In this article, I will shed light on the story of a woman in American history whose legacy is rarely taught in schools, yet deserves recognition and admiration. Elizabeth Freeman was the first African American woman to successfully sue for her freedom, setting a powerful legal precedent for future progress and advocacy.

Elizabeth Freeman, also known as “Mum Bett,” was born sometime between 1742 and 1744. She was enslaved at the Sheffield home of Colonel John Ashley and his wife, Hannah Ashley. Freeman endured physical abuse from the Ashleys. On one occasion, when Colonel Ashley attempted to strike another enslaved woman with a hot shovel, Freeman intervened and blocked the blow with her arm. The injury left a scar that she deliberately kept uncovered as a visible reminder of the injustice she suffered. Freeman’s resilience and commitment to justice were evident not only in her determination to free herself, but also in her efforts to protect others from abuse.

“Madam never again laid her hand on Lizzy. I had a bad arm all winter, but Madam had the worst of it. I never covered the wound, and when people said to me, before Madam,—‘Why, Betty! what ails your arm?’ I only answered—‘ask missis!’ Which was the slave and which was the real mistress?”
— Elizabeth Freeman, as quoted by Catharine Sedgwick

Freeman’s fight for freedom was inspired by a conversation she overheard in the Ashley home about the newly adopted Massachusetts Constitution, which declared that all people were born free and equal. Freeman believed that these principles applied to her as well. Determined to challenge her enslavement, she sought legal help from Theodore Sedgwick, a lawyer in a neighboring town known for his opposition to slavery. Understanding that Freeman’s status as both enslaved and female could make the case more difficult, Sedgwick added another enslaved man from the Ashley household, Brom, to the lawsuit.

The legal argument centered on the language of the Massachusetts Constitution, which guaranteed freedom for “all.” Spearheaded by Freeman, the case was successful, and the judge issued a writ of replevin (a legal order to reclaim property) directed at the Ashley family. Despite this ruling, the Ashleys initially refused to release Freeman and Brom, forcing Sedgwick to file a follow-up lawsuit. After approximately four months, both Freeman and Brom were officially declared free and awarded thirty shillings each to begin their new lives.

Although the Ashleys later asked Freeman to remain in their household as a paid worker, she instead chose to work for Theodore Sedgwick as a governess. Over time, Freeman saved enough money to purchase her own home, an extraordinary achievement for a formerly enslaved woman in the eighteenth-century.

Freeman’s fight for freedom occurred even before the signing of the United States Constitution, highlighting just how progressive and groundbreaking her actions were. Freeman and Brom were freed in 1781, paving the way for the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts in 1783. Her story is a powerful reminder of the Black history that is too often overlooked, and of the individuals whose courage reshaped American freedom long before it was fully recognized.

• #Black History Month
• #education
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