Freedom Suits
Freedom suits were originally based on an 1807 Missouri territorial statute that said that a person held in wrongful servitude could sue for freedom. Freedom suits were a form of resistance to slavery and were usually grounded on one of three claims: the slave had been brought into a free state or had previously resided in a free state; was the child of a freeborn mother; or had purchased or been promised his or her freedom.
Our Freedom suits are designed to help our members in one of three ways: 1) the charge/ sentence/incarceration violated constitutionally protected rights (where there was no injured party or victim); 2) a wrongful conviction based on the evidence, and 3) a wrongful denial of parole.
As a member of AWJ Ministries, you are deciding to secure not only your freedom, but other aspects of your life including education, economics, health, and wellbeing. Becoming a member of AWJ Ministries looks like:
- Helping you overcome strongholds whether economically, mentally, or spiritually.
- Amplifying the voice of the current and formerly incarcerated to make sure solutions to our most pressing issues are being implemented
- Collaborating with advocates and ministers nationwide
- Supporting access to quality education, healthcare, economic opportunities.
- Participating in voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns.