Mumbet's Declaration of Independence

by Gretchen Woelfle, Alix Delinois (Illustrator)

"All men are born free and equal."

Everybody knows about the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence in 1776. But the founders weren't the only ones who believed that everyone had a right to freedom. Mumbet, a Massachusetts enslaved person, believed it too. She longed to be free, but how? Would anyone help her in her fight for freedom? Could she win against the richest man in town?

Mumbet was determined to try.

Mumbet's Declaration of Independence tells her story for the first time in a picture book biography, and her brave actions set a milestone on the road toward ending slavery in the United States. "The case is fascinating, emphasizing the destructive irony at the heart of the birth of America and making Mumbet an active and savvy architect of her own release, and this is likely to spur much discussion." ― The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, History, Nonfiction, African American, Childrens, Biography Memoir

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mumbet was the first enslaved African American to file and win a freedom suit in Massachusetts. This book talks about her life and her smart and clever way to get her freedom.

Free. Her heart fluttered. How could she secure her freedom?

Mumbet was a slave and she didn't know she had any rights until she overhears some men talk about the law and constitution and that all men are born free and equal. She dreams of being free.

If she could have one minute of freedom, she would be willing to die at the end of that minute.

Mumbet talks to a lawyer, Mr. Sedgwick and begins her fight to earn her freedom and earn she does.

A heart wrenching story yet full of hope and determination. Inspiring. A must read for all.

5 stars

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the story, not so much the illustrations. I’d heard of Mumbet before, but this book told me a lot more about her. How clever of her to use the law to win her freedom from her master. What I didn’t know was that her lawyer’s daughter was the author Catharine Maria Sedgwick, from whose writings we know about Mumbet. The story ends with Mumbet gaining her freedom, so Woelfle includes additional information about Mumbet in an author’s note at the end of the book. She also includes a reproduction of a small portrait painted of Mumbet in her later years. This book would make a great choice for Black History Month, as it’s an example of a slave winning their freedom long before the Emancipation Proclamation. Recommended.

[Joshua Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it shows that our people are equal ☺️🍯❤️🥐

[Amy Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pictures are beautiful and so vivid in color. I love that the book covers parts of the American Revolution that is not normally talked about. I had no idea that there were slaves that petitioned for their freedom after hearing about the Massachusetts Constitution. Even though this book does not use primary source documents, it is a fictional story based on a real person. I think my students will connect with it more than what we read in our textbooks. I will definitely be getting a copy of the book when it is published.

The back of the book tells a little more history of Mumbet and what she did after gaining her freedom and also gives several websites that offer additional resources.

The author also has a book on the life of Mercy Otis Warren that I would love to add to my library.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this story about a slave trying to get independence because of the constitution. I thought it was a great story. I did not enjoy the artwork too much I thought it made the faces look a little scary but the story was powerful.

[Carol Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent picture book shows a little known side of the American Revolution. The text is gripping and the illustrations are amazing.

[Ainay · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights."
--Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, Article I

[John Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book 📖. I love it that she got her freedom in the end. Also she was so brave.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owned by the most powerful man in Berkshire County, Massasschusetts, Colonel John Ashley, Mumbet overheard men at the Ashley house talking about freedom and equality. She secretly attended a town meeting where the Massachusetts Constitution was discussed. Then, she went to see the lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick, who was at the Ashley house. She states that based on the new constitution, she is free and equal. Unsure at first, Mr. Sedgwick took her case to court and won. “... and for the rest of her long life, she lived free as a river and strong as a mountain.”


Includes an author’s note and bibliography for further reading.

[Katheryn McNicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence
Gretchen Woelfle

I deeply appreciate when a book lends voice to those who do not have one, whose stories have not been told. Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence is a beautifully illustrated, succinct, and accessible telling of a true story from U.S history. It empowers and questions its reader regardless of their age. This book tells the true story of an enslaved woman whose owner is involved with the drafting of America’s Declaration of Independence. It highlights the hypocrisy of the document which called for the freedom and rights of all people. As the story continues Mumbet takes a risk, enlisting the help of a lawyer involved with the draft in order to take the case of her freedom to court. She uses the same systems of power that oppress her to free herself and her daughter. This book uses simple vocabulary, metaphor, brevity, and illustration to both portray the unfairness of slavery and the strength of those who fought against it. In addition, it provides historical background and sources to readers after the story is complete. While the story is clearly simplified and begs certain questions of accuracy and ease, it manages to make its point. I would recommend this book to lower elementary classrooms to be taught alongside the Declaration of Independence to highlight that while it was an extremely important success it was imperfect and its rhetoric was limited in reality.
I believe this book could lead to interesting discussions with older groups of students as well, especially as an aid to discussions surrounding positionality, privilege, and power. For example, discussing the role of Sedwick (the white male lawyer) and why he chose to aid Mumbet publicly in court. This could spark discussions on alliances and navigation systems. The fact that Mumbet was freed by the United States Courts is an incredible phenomenon and a historic occasion. She took a major risk and this book manages to communicate that fact without increased graphics or intense language. As long as it is paired with historic accuracy and further discussion, this story would be a helpful tool in any classroom.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Mumbet's Declaration Of Independence
Author: Gretchen Woelfle
Illustrator: Alix Delinois
Publisher: Lemer Publishing Group
Published: 2-1-2014
ISBN-10: 0761365893
ISBN-13: 978-0761365891
E-Book ASIN: B00HNXBZSS
Pages: 32
Genre: Children's Fiction,
Tags: Historical Fiction, Colonial, African America
Overall Rating: Very Good


Mumbet was a slave and as such was owned by Colonel Ashley of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, she did not even have a proper name. Mrs. Ashley treated her badly. Always calling her useless or dumb, but Mumbet was neither. When the colonist would meet at Colonel Ashley's home to discuss the their unhappiness with the Kings laws and decided to go to war and declare their independence from England. All that they said Mumbet heard. Words like freedom and independence is the right of a people. During the war of independence she dreamed of just one moments freedom. When the war ended she went to the same lawyer, r. Sedgwick, who use to come to the Colonels home and told him she was free as well. After all the Constitution was now law and it stated that all people are born free and equal. Mr. Sedgewick agreed to take it to court and see if Mumbet was really free.


Follow along and learn what became of Mumbet. A real person who lived long ago. Only letters and journal entries tell her story. Mumbets Declaration of Independence tell of her life, hopes, dreams, intelligence, and determination to know true freedom. Read her story to know if her dreams come true. This wonderful story is an inspiration of hope and a reminder that we need to treat everyone with respect and equally. The illustrations are very well done and portray the story beautifully. I hope you find Mumbet's story as much as I did. Pick up a copy for yourself and anyone looking to learn more about

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mumbet's Declaration of Independence is a children's picture book written by Gretchen Woelfle and illustrated by Alix Delinois. It is a cursory biography of Elizabeth Freeman, who was the first enslaved African American to file and win her freedom suit in Massachusetts.

February, at least in my part of the world is Black History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.

Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Bet or MumBet, was the first enslaved African American to file and win a freedom suit in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling, in Freeman's favor, found slavery to be inconsistent with the 1780 Massachusetts State Constitution. When the court upheld Walker's freedom under the state's constitution, the ruling was considered to have implicitly ended slavery in Massachusetts.

Woelfle's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It starts off with a slave who had no named, but was christened as Mumbet, who yearned for freedom. Her story parallels with the Independence of America. Turk's illustrations are drawn well and depicted the narrative rather well also.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It depicts Mumbet’s life as a slave and how she yearned for freedom. As a slave, she observes America’s independence and yearned to become free like her country. Eventually, she filed and won her freedom in a Court of Law and not only freed herself, but every enslaved person in Massachusetts. She would eventually choose the name of Elizabeth Freeman and lived the rest of her life in freedom.

All in all, Mumbet's Declaration of Independence is a wonderful biography of a brave woman who won her freedom, just as her new country did as well.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gretchen Woelfle has written an account of Mumbet's desire for freedom and her legal battle to achieve it. Since there are no historical records left by Mumbet (a.k.a. Elizabeth Freeman) herself, the author has taken information recorded by the daughter of Mumbet's lawyer and used it to imagine what Mumbet was feeling and thinking. It is interesting to note that tours of her owner's house focused on his accomplishments and role in history, but recently Mumbet's story has come to the forefront. In a time when the United States was fighting for it's own liberty, she decided to go to court and claim her own rights. The illustrations show the clothing and furnishings of the period and also show Mumbet as a woman in her role of servitude. The pictures underscore the point that she was not big or powerful - she simply stood up for what she knew was right.

The author's note explains that much of what is known came from letters, journals,and an essay written by someone else. There are no primary source documents from Mumbet because she could not read or write. Those facts make your wonder what other stories have been lost over time because those involved didn't have the luxury of an education and no one else recorded what happened.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical stories or books with strong female characters. It would be good to include in social studies units on slavery, colonial life, or the American Revolution.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Jason Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mumbet is a slave in colonial times who is fighting for her freedom. She works for a cruel mistress but her master is a man who wants to fight for his freedom from England. If he has a right to freedom under the new constitution why doesn’t she? I liked this book a lot since I am big into stories about people who actually lived. The endpages contain some facts about the real person and a small bit of her history as recorded by her lawyers child since no other accounts exist for a former slave. The paper is light and glossy which really brings out the colors in he book. I felt that I could almost have been looking at a series of stained glass windows because of the bright colors. There are a lot of full bleed illustrations, and sometimes there are double phrases age full bleeds. I like the illustrations taking up the whole page because I feel it’s more vibrant and real that way, it’s easier to immerse in the story. There is a decent amount of text but it doesn’t appear to interfere with the illustrations themselves so you get a full picture on every page. I enjoyed this book a lot because the subject matter is something I enjoy; historical books have always appealed to me. I would like to use this book in a civil rights and history lesson showcasing the struggles that African American people have gone through for freedom.

[Sarah Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be sure my classroom and my knowledge base contain many, many stories of courage and triumph, especially if the lead character has suffered from an unjust society. This story takes us through the like of "Just Bett" call Mumbet affectionately by the children she cared for, because as a northern slave she had no last name. I think we see much more literature on southern slaves, so ensuring that our students know there was slavery in the north is important. Mumbet was owned by a man who took part in writing the state of Massachusetts Constitution. While the white men held meetings at her owner's house, Mumbet heard a phrase that changed her life! "All men are born free and equal!" Because Massachusetts had yet to declare slavery legal, Mumbet, with the help of a lawyer, fought for her freedom and won. On that day she changed her name to Elizabeth Freeman, and vowed never to work for her former master again! There are too many of these stories that we don't know. I want to find as many as I possibly can. The illustration was somewhat abstract, yet very inspiring.

[Rani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mumbet a slave in Massachusetts did not even know her real name. She and her daughter Lizzy were owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ashley in Berkshire County. He also owned iron mine, a forge, a sawmill, a gristmill, a general store, and three thousand acres of farm and woodland. Mrs. Ashley made Mumbet’s life miserable, calling her spiteful names. Mumbet longed to be free. She thought of it day and night. One day, when she serves the men who are writing the freedom charter, she hears words that set her heart soaring. “All men are born free and equal” did not seem to include her. Alas, she was not a part of the independence parade. May be there was a way! Muppet does find a way to her freedom. Simple and elegant narration coupled with bold illustration will capture the hearts of the readers. Read more about Muppet http://www.mumbet.com/ . The site however mentions Lizzy as her sister. This is an excellent book for any classroom or school library.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know Mumbet's story before this book. What a courageous woman! When she was ordered by her cruel mistress to serve the men in the study food and drink, she overheard them talking about the injustice of Britain's taxes and laws imposed upon Americans. When she heard Colonel Ashley, her owner, say, "Mankind in a state of Nature are equal, free, and independent...," it made her think, "Wasn't she part of mankind?" After that, she approached the young lawyer present at the meeting and asked him to represent her when she declared her right to be free. They won the case, and she was freed. This book would be great to use in my classroom with my sixth graders right now because we're talking about liberty/freedom vs. safety during our dystopian unit. What would you be willing to risk for freedom?

[Darcie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

tells the story of Mumbet, an enslaved woman in colonial Massachusetts. As colonists begin to talk openly about freedom from Britain, Mumbet wonders if those freedoms apply to her. When a new state constitution is ratified, declaring that all people are born free and equal, Mumbet is inspired to sue her owner in court, demanding her freedom and challenging the legality of slavery. This is the first time Mumbet’s story has been told in a picture book biography, and Woelfle presents an important piece of history in a way that is easy for children to understand.
I loved this book, it highlights slavery in colonial America, which does not get a lot of attention in children's books about either colonial America or books about slavery. It is an uplifting and inspiring story.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

“All men are born free and equal...” When Mumbet heard these opening words of the new Massachusetts Constitution she wondered if they applied to her. After 30 years of slavery under a cruel master she desperately wanted to find out, so she took the brave step to seek out a lawyer and attempt to secure her freedom in court. Mumbet won; she and her daughter were free. Mumbet’s courageous actions are depicted in bold paintings and told in an engaging narrative. An author’s note gives more information about Mumbet’s story and the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts two years after Mumbet’s case.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mumbet was a slave who served the Ashley family in the time before the American Revolution. Freedom was her greatest wish and she fought for it, in court. When she heard the lines of the Constitution proclaiming all people free she challenged her master in court and won!

An author's note follows the story and reveals what became of Mumbet after her victory. Also included is a selected bibliography and a further reading list.

The text itself gives readers an understanding of what it felt like to be a slave, to be somebody's property. This title would make a good read aloud during Black History Month for grades 3-5.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book about Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, a real slave who lived during the American Revolution. Inspired by the Massachusetts Constitution, Mumbet worked with lawyer Theodore Sedgwick to challenge slavery and eventually win her freedom as well as the freedom of 5,000 slaves in the state. We really enjoyed this read aloud, and particularly enjoyed finding out in the author's note that Mumbet's master's house is still toured today. Originally the tour focused on Colonel John Ashley, owner of Mumbet. Today, visitors hear the story of Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, the slave who stood up against the most powerful man in town. Great story.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Colonel Ashley and other white men rail against the injustices the colonists suffer at the hands of the King, Mumbet is dealing with the daily injustice of being a slave. The new constitution states, "All men are born free and equal". How can people not see that Mumbet should be free, too?

Mumbet goes to a lawyer. The new law should apply to her as well. Her lawyer argues that "even though people owned slaves in Massachusetts, no law had ever made it legal. Now the new constitution made it illegal." Mumbet won her case. She was legally free, able to choose the name Elizabeth Freeman, able to leave those who abused her as a slave.

[Amy Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book with a great message. Fight for what you believe in! Mrs. Mumbet longed for freedom and she took action and got it. Great introduction book for young children when talking about slavery and independence. This is an important topic in our country and this book shows us a little about the life of a slave and how they were treated. Its important for people to know the cruelty they received. Its important for children to understand that we are all equal no matter the color of our skin, race, or roots. Overall great illustrations corresponding to the texts. ( #2 autobiography/biography book)

[J. S. Seebauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read many picture books to see if they should be added to my middle school collection or used as a method for introducing a topic.

This book discusses slavery from pre American Revolution to post American Revolution. In focuses on one female slave and how she obtained her freedom shortly after, and due to, the American Revolution procuring it's "freedom".

This would be great for 8th grade to begin the American Revolution unit... and then to review as they approach The Civil War.

*** The Author's Note is worth reading and using.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting picture book about Mumbet, a woman who was a slave in Revolutionary times. When she overhears men writing the Massachusetts constitution and talking about rebelling against Britain, she goes to a lawyer and demands that it applies to her too. She has a trial and wins her freedom! Changes her name to "Elizabeth Freeman." Though sources are given, there's not a whole lot known about the details of her life; the book has fictionalized dialogue and an author's note that clarifies what is known and what is conjecture.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Mumbet before reading this book, and it has peaked my interest to learn more about her story. I have always wondered a bit about how slaves felt when hearing the Constitution state "all men are created equal", although most slaves were uneducated and kept unaware. But here is one brave young lady who heard those words and believed in them, and found a way to make them ring true for her - and ultimately, all slaves in her state.

[Kayla Spires · Rating 4 out of 5]

A colorful book done in fairly realistic acrylic paint that tells the true story of a woman named Mumbet fighting for her freedom. The aspirational emotion with the struggles faced appeal to the senses of a child and could be easily relatable while also showing the perspective of the time period and sharing about Slavery. The authors note also provides true facts which could be good for pre-teaching a classroom

[Rob Thelen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent nonfiction resource to use during Black History Month, or during a Revolutionary War Unit. The story is about a black slave named, Mumbet who dreams of being free, and one day becomes just that. This book would serve as an excellent launching point for many units, and can lead into some deep discussions with various age levels of students.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written true story of Mumbet, the slave from Massachusetts who demanded that her freedom was constitutional. She got a lawyer, Mr. Sedgwick (Kyra Sedgwick's ancestor) who fought for her freedom in court in 1781. Two years later, all slaves in Massachusetts had gained their freedom. This is a hopeful story about a brave woman who is often overlooked in history.

[Marguarite Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of Elizabeth Freeman's decision to sue her owner for her freedom. What makes this particular story stand out is that it takes place prior to the Civil War. Her decision to declare her freedom from Colonel Ashley came after overhearing Ashley and his colleagues discussing declaring their freedom from the British. A unique offering.