Oney Judge

Oney Judge was an enslaved woman who served as Martha Washington’s personal maid before escaping to freedom. Born around 1773 at Mount Vernon, she was of mixed African and English ancestry. When George Washington became the first U.S. president, Oney was taken to serve in his presidential households in New York and later in Philadelphia.In 1796, upon learning she was to be given as a wedding gift to Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Oney fled to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Despite repeated attempts by Washington to recapture her, she remained free, aided by the local abolitionist community. In later interviews, she made it clear that her escape was a deliberate act to avoid a lifetime of enslavement.Oney Judge lived in poverty but valued her freedom above all else. She died in 1848, leaving behind a legacy as one of the earliest known enslaved women to successfully escape and speak publicly about her experience. The Joy Trip Project celebrates Black History Month.The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold stories of Black American history.#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminuteBecome a paid subscriber to the Unhidden Minute Podcast for one year and receive a copy The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors 10th Anniversary Edition by James Edward Mills. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesedwardmills.substack.com/subscribe