Contradictions to Liberty
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These were the words written by some of the United States most notable wealthy, educated, white, slave owning leaders. The very understanding that this ideology of liberty is one that is promoted through the founding documents while the reality of the time period reflected one much different from the rhetoric provided is the very reason we must study History. History provides individuals with a sense of understanding of factual unbiased perspectives. The writers of History have a powerful responsibility in that they must seek to ensure that the truth overcomes the myth. While seeking to free themselves from the injustices of Britain the Founding Fathers sought to enslave an entire race of people for economic gain.
This understanding is troubling to the average person of any ethnicity, and the sense of our foundation being one to take pride in begins to become unstable. However we must understand that Black Americans did not passively accept these institutions they fought back in creative and strategic ways. Some used the legal system (Elizabeth Mum Bett Freeman) some used the church (Richard Allen) and some sought to use violence (Gabriel Prosser). Understanding the complex times in which they lived and the contradictory rhetoric they were hearing it is important to analyze how we as a community can utilize their determination to move forward to help pursue our own dreams and aspirations. We will consider one in particular, Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman.
Elizabeth Mum Bett Freeman was born into slavery in 1742. Elizabeth Freeman and her sister worked for Mr. John Ashley a prominent city official. One day an altercation while trying to protect her sister from Mr. Ashley’s wife would lead to a severe burn injury on Freeman’s arm. This along with the building conversations on independence and liberty would lead Mum Bett to search for her own avenue to obtaining freedom. Unable to read or write Mum Bett would ask for the assistance of attorney Thomas Sedgwick to legally obtain her freedom. In a case known as Brom and Bett v. Ashley, Mum Bett and another slave would fight for their freedom using the American court. In 1781 Mum Bett and the other slave Brom obtained their freedom. Mum Bett would work for the Sedgwick family for the rest of her life and would be the great great grandmother of Dr. W.E.B. Dubois one of the great scholars of the 20th century.
The Founding Fathers in their efforts to promote equality were the main proponents of inequality. Despite the contradictions of the American institution, Black Americans found the strength to rise higher and pursue the notion that they were human, they were equal and they deserved as anyone else the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Today we can in fact argue with Amendments later to be considered our humanity and thus our right to equality; however, to live in the time of the revolution and seek to try and make this justification solely on the premise of morality and humanity is one that should push Black Americans to pay homage to the men and women who have gone before them and make it possible to honor them through pursuit of professions in law, medicine, politics, education and beyond.
