Octavia Spencer will be an executive producer on the indie film, Mumbet, which is based on the A Free Woman on God’s Earth by Jana Laiz and Ann-Elizabeth Barnes.

Alethea Root is the director. Kim Waltrip is producing.

A description from Variety:

Mumbet was also known as Elizabeth Freeman, who was the first enslaved African American to file and win a freedom suit in Massachusetts after hearing the words in the newly ratified state constitution — “All men are created free and equal.” In 1781, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court found slavery to be inconsistent with the State Constitution — a ruling to have implicitly ended slavery in Massachusetts.

“This is a woman who risked her life to speak truth to injustice. The power of truth is paramount and the time is ripe for the world to be inspired and moved by Mumbet’s story,” said Root.

octaviamubet “I’m extremely proud to be a part of helping to tell such an important story. It’s time for everyone to know about Elizabeth ‘Mumbet’ Freeman,” said Spencer.

Casting has not been announced yet.