Abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth escaped slavery in upstate New York and toured her lectures around the country, but it was Northampton’s abolitionist-founded Association of Education and Industry that attracted her to the Valley in 1844. Emily Dickinson famously resided here, as did the poet Robert Frost. Lupita Nyong’o (from 12 Years A Slave) went to Hampshire. Kurt Russell, Elizabeth Banks, and Uma Thurman are all from the Valley. Bill Cosby also lives here … but we don’t really talk about that right now.