Sent on behalf of the Springfield-Greene County African-American Heritage Trail Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Dr. Lyle Q. Foster at [email protected]
WHAT: Organizers of the Springfield-Greene County African-American Heritage Trail are pleased to announce the marker ceremony for the Milly Sawyers trail marker. The marker is the 10th marker on the Springfield-Greene County African-American Heritage Trail.
WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 27, 4 p.m.
WHERE: Corner of Boonville and Water (City Parking Lot)
WHO: Members of the African-American Heritage Trail Committee and community members will gather to honor the legacy of Milly Sawyers and her story’s contribution to local history.
WHY: This story which was uncovered only a few years ago offers a unique example of the struggle that freed slaves could encounter. The fact that Milly Sawyers utilized the recently formed Greene County court system adds to the significance of this story.
The significance of this story is that this would be one of the first examples of an enslaved person suing for freedom in the state of Missouri and it happened in Greene County. It is a well-known fact that in the decades before the famous Dred Scott decision slaves across the country filed hundreds if not thousands of freedom suits against their masters. In most of these cases freedom was not granted. St. Louis was a location where many of these suits were filed.
This story was only recently discovered by the director of the Greene County Archives from the yellowed court records. As a result, it has received attention in many ways including through a dramatic production and a short film.
The story of Milly Sawyers reminds us of the quest for freedom that is rooted in the American story.
The ceremony will start in the History Museum Education Center with a brief program and then attendees will walk over to the marker site. The public is invited.
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