Sheffield — Representative Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox), the Sheffield Historical Society, and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation recently announced plans for the construction and unveiling of a monument depicting Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman. The monument — an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of Freeman — will be unveiled on August 21, 2022 and located on Main Street in Sheffield.
“Elizabeth Freeman was one of the earliest trailblazers of the civil rights movement, and she is a native daughter of the Berkshires’ oldest town,” said Pignatelli. “Black history is American history, and it’s up to us to keep her legacy alive for generations to come.”
In 1781, Mum Bett, who later became known as Elizabeth Freeman, successfully sued Colonel John Ashley and won her freedom from slavery more than 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law. She walked from her master’s home in Ashley Falls to Great Barrington, where she advocated for her freedom and won. The outcome of the Brom and Bett v. Ashley case served as a precedent to future court cases, as it codified that all men were born free and equal, and that every subject is entitled to liberty and should have it guarded by the law.
“As authors of the story of Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman, we are overjoyed to be a part of this historic recognition of one of the most significant figures in the making of America,” said Ann-Elizabeth Barnes and Jana Laiz, authors of “A Free Woman on God’s Earth.” “This is only the beginning.”
Every year, the Town of Sheffield celebrates Elizabeth Freeman’s walk to freedom by making the same pilgrimage that she did hundreds of years ago. The statue unveiling will coincide with this annual celebration.
Rene Wood, chair of the Sheffield Board of Selectmen, said the Board is delighted the statue will grace the Village Green to tell the story of Freeman’s slavery, historic freedom, and accomplished life. “She will face the home of Theodore Sedgwick, where she sought her freedom and won it. Elizabeth Freeman used her freedom to benefit her community.”
The Honorary Host Committee for the project’s construction and unveiling celebration is composed of prominent voices from across the Commonwealth and beyond, including former Governor Deval Patrick and Diane Patrick; Dennis Powell, president of the NAACP Berkshire County branch; Dr. Frances Jones-Sneed, professor emeritus of history and political science at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Gwendolyn VanSant, CEO and founding director of BRIDGE and the Equity and Inclusion team lead at Changemaker Strategies; Paul W. O’Brien, president of the Sheffield Historical Society; longtime advocates Wray Gunn and Cora Portnoff Gunn; and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli.
“I believe the Elizabeth Freeman monument will tell the true story of America’s history; how a Black ‘enslaved’ woman understood that the Bill of Rights was inclusive, not exclusive, and used the inclusivity of the Bill to sue for her freedom,” said Powell. “Her actions speak to the resiliency of the Black Culture.”
“To me, Elizabeth Freeman represents and reflects justice, wisdom, and liberation for all women and our Black community,” said VanSant. “Her expertise in midwifery and contributions to what is now public health with the fruits of our Berkshire landscape are just some of her contributions alongside her own groundbreaking personal accomplishments in financial success as a land and homeowner in her time.”
The Committee and the Historical Society have partnered with renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon, of Toms River, New Jersey, to craft the monument. Hanlon is the artist behind the sculpture of Susan B. Anthony that was recently unveiled in the town of Adams, James Naismith at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, and other works throughout the nation that depict historical pioneers.
Hanlon said he looks forward to educating and inspiring residents of the Berkshires with Freeman’s story. “I have been lucky and blessed to have sculpted Anthony, Harriet Tubman, and Fannie Lou Hamer, just to name a few, to help tell the stories of empowering women and educate our public.”
The Sheffield Historical Society is serving as the primary fiduciary for this project, and the Berkshire Taconic Community Fund will be handling the fundraising logistics. The monument will be funded by various grants, support from community partners, and the generosity of community members.
To make a gift to the Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman Monument Fund, visit this website or send a check to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, 800 North Main St., Sheffield, MA 01257 with “Mum Bett” in the notes field. For gifts of stock, wire transfers, or IRA distributions, please contact Kelly Sweet at 413-717-7036.
