![]() Ona develops through her story, so does Washington. When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her research, Dunbar replied, “I walked away with the ability to watch humans develop over time. According to Dunbar, Ona fled the house in Philadelphia, choosing uncertainty over “a life of misery and poor treatment.”ĭunbar spent years researching letters and documents about Ona Judge. Her breaking point came when they decided to move her to their tempestuous, newly-wedded granddaughter, Eliza Parke Custis. The Washingtons never cared for Ona beyond her skill, work, and compliance. Instead, Ona was expected to be at Martha’s beck and call every hour, day or night, to complete the strenuous tasks they asked of her, and to tolerate every angry outburst she witnessed. President Washington did not have a paternal relationship with Ona, nor did Martha Washington “treat her like family” because she worked within the house. They risked their own safety by defying the federal government and abetting a fugitive, giving Ona Judge her infamous title of “Never Caught.”ĭunbar also gave a critical deconstruction of the oxymoronic, mythical term, “benevolent slaveowner,” when addressing the reasoning behind Ona’s escape. Ona’s escape would not have been the tale of Dunbar’s novel had it not been for the free-black communities in Philadelphia and New Hampshire. She emphasized that although Ona Judge lived most of her life as a “free” black woman, she was constantly looking over her shoulder, perpetually on the run from the President of the United States. “What does freedom mean when slavery still exists?” Historian Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Ph.D., posed this question at the keynote presentation for her novel Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge on January 23 at the Dana Center.ĭunbar discussed the life of Ona Judge on a panel with professors Jennifer Thorn and Beth Salerno. Showcasing Our Art and Research (S.O.A.R.).Administrative Offices & Services Search. ![]()
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