Quock Walker was born in Massachusetts in 1753 to slaves Mingo and Dinah, who were believed to be of Ghanaian origin.
10 Facts About Quock Walker
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2.
Quock Walker is believed to have been named Kwaku, Akan for "boy born on Wednesday," a traditional day-naming practice among the Akan people.
3.
Caldwell died when Quock Walker was 10 years old, but his widow renewed the promise, agreeing to give him his freedom at the age of 21.
4.
Quock Walker went to work at a nearby farm belonging to Seth and John Caldwell, brothers of his former master.
5.
The Quock Walker case was opened by the plaintiff's attorney considering the question of whether a previous master's promise to free Quock Walker gave him a right to freedom after the master previously making the promise had died prior to its fulfillment.
6.
Quock Walker's lawyers argued that the concept of slavery was contrary to the Bible and the new Massachusetts Constitution.
7.
The jury voted that Quock Walker was a free man under the constitution and awarded him 50 pounds in damages.
8.
The Caldwells won the other appeal; a jury concurred that Quock Walker was a free man, and therefore the defendants were entitled to employ him and owed his prior employer no damages.
9.
The decisions in the Elizabeth Freeman and Quock Walker trials had removed slavery's legal support and it was said to end by erosion.
10.
Quock Walker was found to be residing in Barre, Massachusetts, in the 1790 Massachusetts Census but appears to have died before 1810.