Two critical legal cases lead to the abolition of slavery through judicial review, prompting advocacy in other ways.
The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 provides a magic bullet for slaves in Massachusetts; language included in the document essentially codifies a natural right to freedom for "all men." While slaves had sued for their freedom over the past two decades, their legal standing relied on promises made by their master or the slave status of their mother. Now there is a specific point of law for slaves to use to claim their liberty. Two important legal cases test African Americans' rights against the Massachusetts Constitution in the early 1780s: Brom and Bett v Ashley, and a series of cases involving Quock Walker and the Jennison family.
The cases mark a shift in public opinion and the constitutional right to freedom, and encourage the Black community to advocate for equal access to other resources, such as public education. But questions remain over the impact of the decisions of these cases on people's lives; no formal law or amendments were passed outlawing slavery, so the freeing of slaves was on a voluntary basis. Not all slaves had the financial means to make a life outside of their masters' home. The first federal census showed no slaves in the state by 1790, but this may be because freed slaves became indentured servants instead. Massachusetts continued to profit from slave trade for decades.
