Show notes
When Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman overheard the opening of the new Massachussetts constitution in 1780 – "all men are born free and equal" – she knew the words had to apply to her, too. Elizabeth was the first enslaved woman to sue for and win her freedom in a US court. To talk about arguably the most impactful woman in this series and the true meaning of freedom and the American promise, I'm joined by Errin Haines, co-founder and editor-at-large of The 19th*. ★ Support this podcast ★On this episode: Errin Haines - Guest Isabelle Roughol - Host Read Errin Haines' column about Elizabeth Freeman and subscribe to her newsletter for The 19th*, The AmendmentClick here to watch a video of this episode.Get Donna Tesiero's biography of Elizabeth Freeman, "A Revolutionary Woman"🇺🇸 in the US🇬🇧 in the UK(Affiliate bookshop.org links support Broad History and indie bookstores.)Jump to:(00:00) - Intro(02:12) - Why Elizabeth Freeman matters(04:31) - When Mumbet overhears the Massachussetts Constitution(06:26) - The heated shovel episode(07:40) - Theodore Sedgwick(09:24) - The hypocrisy of Massachussetts slavery(11:41) - Her separation from her parents in childhood(12:20) - Elizabeth's thriving life after slavery(14:53) - A true founder(18:09) - Elizabeth's double whammy as an enslaved person and a woman(21:36) - Raising the Sedgwick children(23:36) - Catharine Maria Sedgwick(25:40) - Buried on the Sedgwick family plot(27:28) - Everybody should know her name(30:10) - Errin's 250th series(34:27) - The next 250 days(38:09) - OutroClick here to view the episode transcript.
