If the world were just, the name of Nance Legins-Costley would resonate amid the likes of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other abolitionist rebels.
If the world were just, the name of Nance Legins-Costley would resonate amid the likes of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other abolitionist rebels.
She was the first Black person freed by Lincoln, long before his presidency. Her grave was paved over and her story hardly known.
Phil Luciano, Journal Star
February 8, 2021, 6:32 AM·14 min read
PEORIA, Ill. – The name of Nance Legins-Costley could resonate amid the likes of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other abolitionist figures.
But her story is hardly known. Not in Illinois, where – despite anti-slavery laws – she was born into bondage. Not in the city of Pekin, where – despite anti-Black attitudes – she became a beloved community figure. And certainly not in Peoria, where – despite her impressive life – she is buried in ignominy.
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If the world were just, the name of Nance Legins-Costley would resonate amid the likes of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other abolitionist rebels.
But her story is hardly known. Not in Illinois, where despite anti-slavery laws she was born into bondage. Not in Pekin, where despite anti-Black attitudes she became a beloved community figure. And certainly not in Peoria, where despite her impressive life she is buried in ignominy.
Perhaps her story is more subtle than those of high-profile abolitionist leaders, yet her fortitude was astounding. Barely a teen, she first stood up for her civil rights in a court of law that was stacked against Black people. Even amid legal defeats, she kept seeking the most basic of rights: freedom.