Ona Judge

Ona Judge was an enslaved woman who escaped from George Washington's household in 1796. Born in Virginia, she became one of the first known African American women to flee from the household of a U.S. president, seeking freedom from the oppressive system of slavery. Her daring escape and subsequent life in freedom in New England were significant as they highlighted the contradictions of America's founding ideals of liberty and the reality of slavery. Judge's story is a poignant reminder of the struggle for freedom and justice in American history.