On this day in 1981, tennis legend Serena Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan. Additionally, on this day in 1807, the Denison family fought for freedom in Macomb County. Although they lost initially, their children later escaped to Canada, eventually returning as free Americans due to new legal protections.
TRANSCRIPT
Although the family would later move to Los Angeles, specifically Compton, today in 1981, one of the greatest, and enduring athletes was born in Saginaw Michigan: tennis superstar, Serena Williams.
And today in 1807, a formerly enslaved man sued for the freedom of his three children in what would become Macomb County. Peter and Hannah Denison were freed from slavery upon the death of the widow of William Tucker, but the will said their three children were to remain enslaved. After the hearing on September 26,1807, the Denisons lost, but upon a later ruling saying if African Americans escaped to freedom in Canada, they could not be returned to slavery when back in America. And so the children did exactly that crossing the border, and returning as free Americans a few years later, but still a terrifying ordeal for the Denison family in the Michigan territory.