On this date in Missouri history, legislators pass a bill which reads, “all free persons of color had to apply for a freedom license.” That law meant that not only did African Americans have to apply for freedom, but they also had to prove they met the requirements to be free, which was nearly impossible.
Hiram Young was extraordinary: An enslaved man who bought his freedom, created opportunities for freedom for countless others, invested in his community, and lived in such a way that his life had a lasting impact on the future.
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