Ona Judge: Outwits the Washingtons. An Enslaved Woman Fights for Freedom

In 1776 U.S. Declaration of Independence promised freedom and equality for all. Those promises did not include millions of enslaved African Americans. George Washington was beloved as a victorious general and the first president of the United States but Washington was also a slaveholder. In his household an enslaved woman named Ona Judge dreamed of escaping and living free.
One spring night in 1796 One bravely fled Washington’s mansion in Philadelphia and escaped to make a life far away. But the Washingtons wouldn’t let her go easily. One would have to rely on her wits to avoid returning to life in slavery.