Mary Bateman Clark

Mary Bateman Clark
Bornc. 1795
Kentucky
Died1840
Resting placeGreenlawn Cemetery, Vicennes, Indiana
Known forIndiana Supreme Court case of 1821 that freed her and set the precedent for other indentured servants
SpouseSamuel Clark
Children12 children

Mary Bateman Clark (1795–1840) was an American woman, born into slavery, who was taken to Indiana Territory. She was forced to become an indentured servant, even though the Northwest Ordinance prohibited slavery. She was sold in 1816, the same year that the Constitution of Indiana prohibited slavery and indentured servitude. In 1821, attorney Amory Kinney represented her as she fought for her freedom in the courts. After losing the case in the Circuit Court, she appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court in the case of Mary Clark v. G.W. Johnston. She won her freedom with the precedent-setting decision against indentured servitude in Indiana. The documentary, Mary Bateman Clark: A Woman of Colour and Courage, tells the story of her life and fight for freedom.