The Lost Story of an Enslaved Woman Who Sued for Restitution, and Won

The Lost Story of an Enslaved Woman Who Sued for Restitution, and Won

Constant Wonder - Season 1, Episode 19 , Segment 2

S1 E19: Freed Slaves Sue for Damages

Episode: S1 E19: Freed Slaves Sue for Damages

  • Jan 17, 2022 7:00 am
  • 20:50 mins

Henrietta Wood was the recipient of the largest-known sum ever granted by a U.S. court in restitution for slavery, successfully suing Zebulon Ward, the man who had enslaved her, for $2,500. Her story was lost in history until a historian uncovered two interviews from Henrietta describing her experience in slavery and how she won restitution. Guest: W. Caleb McDaniel, Associate Professor of History at Rice University and author of “Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America”