Even before the Civil War, freedom was claimed.

Before the Emancipation Proclamation, before the 13th Amendment, freedom was already being claimed in Vicksburg.

Through Skill and Labor
One of the most powerful examples is Kitty Foote, a midwife whose work brought new life into the world — and also secured her own. By 1860, census records listed her as the wealthiest free Black woman in Vicksburg, with property valued at $1,700 (around $40,000 today). Her skills gave her financial independence in a time when laws sought to deny it.

Through Escape and Service
Others risked everything to leave slavery behind. Many joined the United States Colored Troops (USCT) after Union forces took Vicksburg in 1863. By the end of the war, more than 17,000 Black Mississippians had worn the Union uniform, seizing freedom through service and sacrifice.

Through Community Networks
Enslaved people also built quiet, everyday systems of resistance — sharing news of safe routes, hiding runaways, and creating mutual aid through churches and kinship networks. These “freedom practices” shaped the cultural DNA of Vicksburg’s Black community.

The courage of people like Kitty Foote and the soldiers of the USCT remind us: freedom is not just granted by law — it is taken, nurtured, and defended.