13

On December 1, 1772, Bett, with Nance and with my help, delivered a fine baby girl. I had thought Josiah would not be happy with a girl. But he was very pleased. Proudly he held his baby and, showing her to the north, south, east, and west corners of the earth, he said, “I name you Ayisha for your grandmother, Omosupe [oh-MOH-soo-peh] because a child is the most precious thing, and Freeman because your father is a free man.”

When the master registered the child as his slave, Bett said, “Her name is the same as mine: Bett.” The master was pleased.

With Bett being so busy, Little Bett became as much my baby as hers. I tied her on my back and felt her warmth and her little heartbeat, and for the first time I loved, expecting nothing in return.

In January of 1773, there was much coming and going in the Ashley house. The plan that my sister had talked about became the Sheffield Declaration. It was now ready. Josiah called his friends and others together and Bett reported, “Master Ashley and his friends are planning a town meeting for all the citizens to hear what they have decided to send to the king’s representative. The master still seems uncertain about separating from the king, but certain that he wants the Bay Colony of Massachusetts to draw the borderline between them and New York.”

“That John Ashley is a Tory, isn’t he?” Agrippa said. “One of a few around here who fully supports the king. He must know that a lot of people don’t care for him because of that.”

“Things are changing and he is beginning to see he has to be either for this colony or for the king. I think he is for this colony,” Josiah said.

“It doesn’t matter who they’re for, I want to know who’s for us?” Brom said. “We have a right to freedom and liberty just as much as they have.”

“Agrippa, as free men we should go and see what this is all about,” Josiah said.

“Why don’t you take ‘resolves’ like theirs and present them?” Bett asked.

“To the king’s representative?” Agrippa asked.

“No, to Master Ashley and the men who wrote their declaration,” Bett said. “Add your words to theirs.”

“Bett is right. We must be ready with just what we want to say,” Josiah said.

All that Saturday night and the next day, they worked on the paper, Bett remembering much of what had been said in the room upstairs. Agrippa did the writing. I was so proud of all of them—the men and Bett working together. My hopes of freedom filled me with joy. I looked at Little Bett, finally walking on her own. I lifted her up, hugged her close, and whispered into her ear, “Mijn schatje [my honey], we’ll be free, free, free!”

On January 12, cold winds were blowing and the icy rain was in heavy clouds just waiting to drench those many white men and few free blacks who had come from around the county to accept or reject the Sheffield Declaration. Bett was as nervous and as anxious as any of the men who had done the writing. I knew if she had been a man she would have been there at the Sheffield town hall, but no woman, slave or free, was allowed to attend.

Around noon rain was still falling and the cold winds were even more cold. Finally, after waiting for the master a long time, lunch was served, and I was busy finishing the cleaning. As if she had suddenly gotten the idea, the mistress said, “Lizzie, I want you to go to that meeting place and take your master some food and hot rum.”

In that icy rain, I thought. Hot rum would be cold by the time I arrived. My body tightened with anger, but I said nothing as I wrapped myself in an old shawl that would do little to protect me from the rain. Nance wrapped the food and drink in thick layers of cloth, tied to give me a handle.

Along the muddy road, horses still hitched to wagons stood heads down, their bodies giving off steam. I hurried, the icy rain stinging my face, numbing my hands. When I came to the hall, just beyond the tailor shop, I went toward the front, but the crowd there was so thick I was afraid that I would not be able to enter. At the back the crowd was just as thick. Knowing that I had to find the master, I forced my way inside. The heat, the stench of damp bodies, and the fog of tobacco smoke gave me a fit of coughing.

Moving beyond elbows and rough coats, I soon found the master up front seated on a small platform with about six other men, all of whom I had seen in the house. I recognized Lawyer Sedgwick, a broad-shouldered man with a big body and large head, who was reading aloud from a paper. A white scarf around his neck accented the pink face that stood out even more because his hair was thinning. His voice was deep and loud enough to be heard throughout the hall.

On seeing me, the master frowned. When I held up the bundle, he smiled and waved me forward. “The mistress sent this,” I said. He opened the bundle right away and drank from the jar of rum, which was still warm. I sat in back of the platform listening while I waited for the master to finish. When Lawyer Sedgwick completed the page, someone in the back shouted, “Lawyer Sedgwick, I didn’t understand all that you read. Please read it again.”

“Yes! Yes!” came shouts from around the room.

One of the men on the platform stood. “We must get on with this business.”

Lawyer Sedgwick said, “I will read it only once more. There must be order if you are to hear.”

The hall became quieter as he read. “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.”

I am in this meeting, the only woman. I am here! I thought. I became so excited but also afraid that they would notice and ask me to leave. I pulled the shawl around me and tried to pretend that I was not at all interested in what was being said.

“Resolved that the great end of political society is to secure in a more effectual manner those rights and privileges wherewith God and nature have made us free.” He read on, a lot of things I did not understand nor have any interest in. The master placed the plate and the jar on the floor and covered them over, but he gave no sign that I should leave.

When the reading was finished, Lawyer Sedgwick asked that a vote be taken and that the town clerk record the proceedings. Then, to my great amazement, Josiah and Agrippa forced their way to the front of the room. Josiah was dressed in his usual attire, leather breeches and leather shirt with fringes at the yoke and at the hem, but Agrippa wore a coat flared at the bottom. A red scarf at his neck partially covered a white shirt with ruffles down the front. His black velvet trousers had buckles at the knees. The two, though differently dressed, were imposing figures. There was a rustle in the crowd and then quiet, as if everyone was waiting for a great happening.

My heart beat wildly while Josiah stood beside Agrippa, both of them calm and composed. Agrippa’s voice rang deep, clear as a bell. “Gentlemen. You say 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.’ What does that mean to the five thousand slaves in this colony? We petition you.”

Then he read from the paper they had drafted: “For, in as much as you claim to be acting on the principles of equity and justice, we cannot but expect you to take our deplorable case into serious consideration and give us ample relief which as men we have a natural right to. We are desirous that you have instructions relative to our cause in your petition and pray that you communicate our desires to the representative of this colony. In behalf of our enslaved brothers and sisters, in this province and by order of their committee. Signed: Agrippa Hull and Josiah Freeman.”

There was stirring and angry grumbling in the room, and then scattered applause, but Lawyer Sedgwick quickly silenced the hall. “Your petition should have been presented at the time of the writing of this declaration,” he shouted.

“But honorable sir,” Agrippa called out, “we had no knowledge that such a petition was being prepared.”

There were more rumbles through the crowd. Lawyer Sedgwick reacted quickly to gain control. “We cannot now recognize such a petition. I call for the vote.”

Before more could be said the process was under way. Showing no signs of defeat, Josiah and Agrippa made their way to the back of the room. How could they remain so calm? I was raging inside. Was it because I was a slave? I grabbed the dishes, wrapped them carelessly, and escaped from the hall as quickly as I could.

It was still raining, the streets hardly passable because of the mud. But I didn’t hurry. When I arrived, I was soaking wet. The mistress was waiting. I knew she was angry, but no more than I for different reasons. “Where have you been so long?” she shouted.

“Mistress, I waited until the master had finished to make sure he wanted nothing more. He was busy and took his food as he had time.” I stood and looked her in the eye, waiting for her response.

“Your after-lunch chores are waiting for you. Do them right away.”

“I am wet from the rain, mistress.”

“Do your chores right away.”

Josiah visited us that evening. Bett wanted more details from him of what had happened. He told her and ended by saying, “We warned you. Africans and wives are property. They are not ready yet to place your rights over property rights.”

Bett, with her everlasting hope, did not appear upset, but I burst into tears, still feeling the hurt and pent-up anger. Josiah put his arms around me and said, “In due time. Don’t be so impatient under the yoke. As we learn our rights and our duties we will understand that we are not meant to be slaves. When we understand this, we will free ourselves.”

“I know now I’m not meant to be a slave,” I cried. “Help me! Tell me what to do and I’ll free myself, now.”

Josiah and Bett looked at each other. I saw the tears in her eyes as they both quickly left the room.