One of the earliest petitions from African Americans seeking their freedom came from a , group of slaves in Massachusetts. In 1774 they petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for their liberty in a document that shows how political freedom and religious freedom mingled together for at least some early Americans. That only some understood this link is shown by Massachusetts's failure to respond to the plea of these men; slavery began to end in the state only after a judicial decision against it in the early 1780s.
Your Petitioners apprehind we have in common with all other men a naturel right to our freedoms without Being . depriv'd of them by our fellow men as we are a freeborn Pepel and have never forfeited this Blessing by aney compact or agreement whatever. But we were unjustly dragged by the cruel hand of power from our dearest...