Enslaved, Widowed, and Betrayed: Her Courtroom Battle for Freedom

After having four children with her white enslaver in Virginia, an enslaved mother faced an incredible battle when his last will and testament granted them freedom and directed their passage to Pennsylvania. When the enslaver's estate attempted to ignore his final wishes, she refused to be silenced — taking her fight to court to secure her family's liberty. Adding an incredible personal layer to this history, my guest and I share a unique ancestral bond: my ancestor, an enslaver himself, was the one entrusted with physically escorting her and her children on that dangerous journey north to Pennsylvania. I'd like to thank Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy for many things! She generously sat down with me and shared her amazing story, she kindly reached out to me with knowledge about my family history, and she has tirelessly worked, not only on the Gibbons Project at UVU, but with SOFAFEA. Shelley, you are an inspiration! Learn more about the Society of the First African Families of English America by visiting https://www.sofafea.org And learn more about the University of Virginia's Gibbons Project at https://news.virginia.edu/content/uni... 👩🏻‍✈️ Join Aimee's Crew for the most recent study guide FREE each month, plus a special member's only monthly livestream. Visit https://tinyurl.com/AimeesCrew - there are two membership levels, be sure to select Aimee's Crew. ============================== 🌟 NEED HELP? Zoom COACHING available starting at $35. Visit https://ancestryaimee.com for more information! ============================== Purchase study guides and tutorials at: https://ancestryaimee.com/shop ============================== ❤️ Your support makes these videos possible! Support the channel for just $2 a month. Thanks! (  / aimeecross  ) ============================== 👉 My genealogy must haves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/aimeecros... (affiliate link) ============================== 🙋‍♀️ Find me at https://ancestryaimee.com Instagram:   / ancestryaimee   Facebook:   / aimeecross2   ============================== Aimee Cross, a professional genealogist based in the United States, shares practical, step-by-step strategies. On Ancestry Aimee we break down brick walls, use records correctly, organize family history research, build accurate, well-sourced family trees, all while avoiding common genealogy mistakes. Terrific for beginner and intermediate researchers who want real progress, not just hints. Be sure to catch reviews of the latest Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Find A Grave, and other genealogy platform features, essential for your family search. Aimee's goal is to make genealogy feel approachable, logical, and rewarding, so you can trust the discoveries you make. 👉 New videos and research guidance to help you build your family tree with confidence. #ancestry #findingyourroots #familysearch #familyhistory #genealogy #discoveryourancestors ============================== Intro music: "Something Elated" by Broke for Free. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Br...