Founding director, that is how we say it,. The first book a fragile freedom African American woman and emancipation in the antebellum city published by yale extremely well regarded an important study of an understudy topic up to that point and also the perfect person to take on the challenge to recover the story of on the judge. Lets all give erica a big round of applause. applause good evening everyone. Happy black history month. Here i am. First let me offer few thankyous to doug who invited me. I really think that there is no other place that i should be giving this top. Can you all see me im vertically challenged. Ill turn this. Lets see. Better . Yes. Okay. Id also like to thank the minimally for helping me with arrangements to arrive here. Its been a very busy week. This book just came out on tuesday of last week and so im an academic, as doug said my first book was published a University Press and this book is more of a crossover trade book for a larger more general audience. One thats been rewarding but different and im a little tired forgive me if my voice comes in at an out. Ive been talking more than usual. So tonight is such a pleasure to be here. To be really where the story of anna judges life began. Its mount vernon. What ill do tonight is talk a little bit. Out we did a little bit too from the book and give you a little context through some slides about here we are. Im in stereo. Yay. And to give you a little context about on a judges life and sort of what i wanted to do with this book. About 20 years ago i was doing some research on my first book. About African American women in the north, and i came across an advertisement for a runaway. And enslaved person who had run from the president s house in philadelphia. It was may 17th 1996 i was caught up looking through micro film and all newspaper and this made me pause. I said wait who is this person who ran away . She was named one judge in the advertisement and i thought wait a minute i dont know this person and that was troubling to me because this is my area of expertise. Im supposed to know all of this. Wonderful information. My question is, as a fugitive, was there any physical description of her . Yes. There were actually, aside from the advertisement, we gate description of her as a young woman. She is about 22 when she runs off. And it kind of confirms what we think or what i know about her background, it described her as lighter complected, with bushy hair. Later on there were several accounts by local folks in portsmith who wrote their recollections of life and she made it into she was eventually she becomes anyone in portsmouth as the slave who ran away from washington. To supreme would come to the cottage where she lived and she was pretty povertystricken and sometimes they would give her a dollar and she would tell her story. So i would see her describe from very very light complected to almost white to copper colored. So there are descriptions about her. None 0 about her children but about her. So do have an idea of unfortunately no image but as a fugitive you want want people to know what you look like or keep talking about it. One more . Thank you. We just this past weekend were fortunate to go to the you will be blown away by her life. Many folks here at mount vernon this is not a new story. You are among a small group of people that know her. I want her name to become a household name like a Federick Douglas and heriot tubman. The title, never caught, was one of my first choices for the title. I presented it to people at the publisher and they hated it. They said itb gives away the story. And i said yeah, but so doesdoes 12 does 12 years a slavedoes 12 does 12 12 years a slave. This is really a history of how a woman who was a fugitive never found freedom. She was never free. She simply was never caught. I think it is a big distinction. I think what we think about slavery in the south and the north at the moment where the nation is new. That is one of the other things i was really trying to do with this book and that was to allow us to see what the early days of the new country. Onas life gives us the opportunity to look at early virginia, new york, pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. We get to sort of follow her life and look at how this nation is changing, how it is grappling with the issue of slavery, all of these central issues to this new nation and this time we are doing it through a young, black woman who made the choice to runaway. As i said, i will read a bit. I will talk and look at a few slides and we will walk together. Spring rain drenched the streets of philadelphia in 1796. Weather in the city of brotherly love was often fickle at this time of the year vacillating between extreme cold and oppressive heat. But rain was almost always appreciated in the nations capital. It erased the smells of rotting food, animal waste, and filth that permiated the cobblestone roads of this new nation. It reminded philadelphians that the long and pung punishing winter was behind them and spring rain cleans the streets and souls of people. It ushered in optimism and hope and a feeling of rebirth. In the midst of the promises of spring, ona judge, a young black enslaved woman received devastating news. She learned that she would leave philadelphia a city that had become her home. Judge would travel back to virginia and prepare herself to be beto her granddaughter. I would introduce you to ona judge. At the age of 22, judge stole herself from the washingtons forcing the president to show a slave catching hand. As a fugitive, judge will test the president s will and his reputation. The most important man in the nation heralded with winning the American Revolution could not reclaim this enslaved woman. Ona judge did what very few others could do she beat the president. Judge was never caught. I normally show this next slide, you all dont need it because we are here at mount vernon, but this is me on the road doing my dog and pony show, and there are, of course, earlier images but i try to give an image so people have an idea of the Mansion House she was at for 16 years. Of course, you all were here and dont need this. Today, i will introduce what i am calling i am calling her a new american hero. A slave girl raised at mount vernon who once exposed to the ideas of freedom was compelled to pursue it at any cost. This was a woman who found the courage it too defy the president , escape, out negotiate, to run, to survive. Her story at this point is the only existing lengthy account of a fugitive once held by the washington at least told from her mouth to interviewers. It is perhaps the only virginia, judges life exposes the sting of slavery, the drive of defiance. She guarded what would become sort of freedom for her every day of her life sever regretting her decision to fight for what she believed to be her right and that was freedom. In 1779, we know washington was elected first president of the United States and traveled to new york, the nations first capitol. He and Martha Washington took seven slaves from mount vernon. This is a sketch of federal hall where president washington would take the oath of office in new york. He would take eventually martha would make her way up to new york york. They took seven enslaved people from mount vernon and ona judge was one of them. She would be taken from her mother, betty, and her other siblings. I will read a bit from the book to give you an idea of what that moment must have been like. The young ona judge was far from an experienced traveler. The teenager knew only mount vernon and its surroundings and never traveled far from her family and loved ones. For judge, the move must have been similar to the dreaded auction block. Although she was not to be sold to a different owner she was forced to leave her family for an unfamiliar destination hundreds of miles away. Judge would have no choice but to stifle the terror that she felt and go on about the work of comparing to move, folding linens, packing dresses and personal accessories, helping with the grandchildren. These were all things that ona judge would be involved in. They were the task at hands and was not her place to change or question. Judge had to remain strong and steady if not for herself than for her mistress who appeared to be falling apart at the seams. Like martha, judge had no choice about the move. Miss washington and ona judge may have shared similar concerns, but of course, only Martha Washington was allowed to express this content. Martha washington was unhappy and everyone knew it. The president s nephew, robert lewis would be aware of it. When he arrived at his estate, things were isn disarray. Lewis was chosen to escort his aunt and grandchildren to new york but was surprised and a bit concerned when he arrived to find a frenzied and hectic scene. Lewis wrote quote everything appeared to be in confusion. End quote. The manifestation of ms. Washingtons conflicting feelings. Robert lewis described the depar departure as an motional moment for the slaves and the first lady quote after an early dinner, and making all necessary arrangements in which we were greatly retarded it brought us to 3 00 in the afternoon when we left mount v. The servants of the house and a number of field negro came to take leave of their mistress. Numbers seemed agitatedand much affected my aunt equally so. Betty, ona judges mother, must have been one of those agitated slaves. Not only was she loosing her 16yearold daughter but also loosing her son austin who would serve as one of the washingtons waiters. Austins wife and their children would have joined in the morning. Betty watched her children leave mount vernon, a reminder of what little control slave mothers had over the lives of their children. If she found any comfort in that day, it would have been mother and sister were traveling together. Austin was holder and male and could look out for his younger sister. Still, betty knew that her relationship with her children would never be the same. The washingtons would travel to new york and their visit there was relatively brief. They would leave for november in 1790 when the site of the nations capitol changed again. Ona would go with the washingtons and be one of nine enslaved people who traveled to philadelphia. They were going to head south tool philadelphia. The president s house, for those familiar with philadelphia if you go to the liberty bell and constitution hall, the house is actually right there. I will tell you, this is sort of an aside, when i was watching all the preelection coverage and there was a speech given by formal president barack obama and Hillary Clinton it was smack in the middle of this courtyard at Independence Hall and i am watching the visual with the crowds and what have you and off to the right is where the president house stood. And im like she will not let me go. She follows me. February, 1796 brought a palpable unease. Her and her enslaved companions treaded lightly around george and Martha Washington. Enslaved individuals moved with caution not knowing what events could sour or sweeten an owners mood. For slaves who resided in the same walls with the owner life could be like walking in a land of embedded land mines. Breaking a dish, badly timed weather, could alter the disposition of an owner. Although the president did not earn the reputation of being a violent or extremely punishing slave owner he did on occasion lose his temper. Ona judge went through her daily tasks with a soothe watchfulness attending to Martha Washington with a care. The seven years judge served her mistress well up north. She became Martha Washingtons closest body slave. All who the washingtons on a personal level were familiar with judge. She often accompanied her mis mistress on social calls. The first ladys life was filled with socializing and public events. It is important to realize this relationship between mistress and enslaved person in terms of ona judge it was an intimate relationship. Not necessarily in the best of ways but ona was around Martha Washington constantly helping her with the most intimate of responsibilities; dressing, bathing and combing hair. She heard everything that went on in the executive mansion. Judge understood her mistress. She knew how much Martha Washington loved her grandchildren. She outlived all of her children and had no choice but to tlook the grandchildren of hope and enjoyment. And although marrying George Washington at 27 their marriage led to offspring. Martha and George Washington welcome welcome welcomed two of washingtons children in the home and raise them up. After they read through the mail on february 6th, the president received a letter from eliza, her 17yearold grand daughter informing of her intention to marriage writing of the engagement to thomas law, a British Business man who came to america only recently in 1794 and became involved in Land Development around the federal city. Law met eliza who was 20 years his junior. Her father was deceased and washington stood in as a sar surrogate. The news must have sent the executive mansion into a tailspin. Although this was personal business, everyone who lived within the walls of the president house knew exactly what was happening. George washington writes of this relationship that eliza is entering into. They were question about who this law person was and writes home about the situation. Neither george nor Martha Washington new about the seriousness of the relationship between eliza and law and there was much to be concerned about with this union. Law arrived in america with two of his three children both who were the offspring from a relationship with an indian woman. They were biracial. His biracial children and age raised the eyes of the washington. There were concerns she might decide to go back to england and could take her with him. Ona judge watched their owners feel their way through the dru dramat dramatic events of february 1796. Martha washingtons concerns must have turned to optimism because by the end of the month she announced the upcoming matrimony. She began to think of the union in the best possible way. Ona judge had no idea this acceptance of this relationship would begin the unraveling of her life. So they were married on march 21, 1796 and the marriage signaled the beginning of major changes were the washingtons and their slaves. Judge most certainly knew her time in philadelphia was limited. By the march wedding, close family knew that George Washington would not run again for president. This was no secret in the executive mansion and event al all of their lives would change once they returned to mount vernon. The idea of collecting with loved ones in virginia must have given some of the slaves in the mansion reason to celebrate. Judge had lived in the north for seven years. And the thought of return to mount vernon did not settle well. A return to mount vernon was a reminder to judge and her enslaved companions that they were considered the property of another person. After living in a free northern city, this was a difficult concept to swallow. And i think it is porpt to recognize that ona judge comes to philadelphia as a teenager. 16 or 17 years oldz. And spends these years watching free philadelphia grow. She watched Richard Allen build mother bethel around the corner, she saw free black men and women selling soup on the street, they were entrepreneurs. It wasnt necessarily easy but she saw freedom. She could almost feel it, touch it, taste it. These were things she would never be able to do in virginia. And then with the marriage of eliza, she realizes that her fate or at least her fate was revealed. Up like the other slaves at the executive mansion, ona would not return to philadelphia and judge would not be around to witness the president s final months in office. Martha washingtons deep concern for her granddaughter trumped any relationship she may have forged with judge. The first lady made a decision rgs and the term first lady isnt used at this moment. It is not used until later on in the 19th century but i use it as part of this narrative i authored. The first lady made a decision that would help her grand daughter navigate through the transition of marriage. She would give ona judge to e eliza. Judges fate was now in the hands of eliza law, a woman who was approximately the same age and known for having a difficult, sometimes volatile temperature. I show this image because it gives us an idea of eliza and she is a force to be reckoned with. Sometimes i think she got a little bit of a bad rap but her family wrote about her temper. This is something ona judge is familiar with. A shift to the household of the irritable and volcanic eliza. I will read another passage from the book to give you an idea of what that moment was like for her. The judge knew what the future held should she not take the advice of her free black associates. She supposed if she went back to virginia she would never have the chance to escape. Once she learned that upon the defeat of her master and mistress she would become the property of the grand daughter she knew she had to flee. She imagined her work for the law would begin immediately prompting a fierce clarity for her future and dislike. In an interview at the end of her life she said quote i was determined never to be her slave. Her decision was made. She would risk everything to avoid the clutches of the new ms. Law. Judge was well informed and knew her decision to flee was far more than risky but still she was willing to save dogsniffing kidnappers and bounty hunters for the rest of her life. Yes her fear was consuming but so too her anger. Judge could no longer stomach her enslavement. She had given everything to the washingtons. For 12 years she had served her mistress faithfully and now she was being discarded like the scraps she cut for Martha Washingtons dresses. Judge knew that no matter how o obediant or loyal she was to her owners she would never be considered fully human. Her fidelity meant nothing to the washington. She was their property to be sold, traded or mortgaged with whomever they wished. This coaxed the freedom out of judges mind and she was willing to fight for what she believed to be her right. Her decision to run was just the beginning of her liberation. The wait was difficult, for near