Uncovering the story of Ona Judge, enslaved by Martha Washington

The youngsters’s ebook “Runaway” tells the story of Ona Decide, a younger girl enslaved by President George Washington and his spouse, Martha Washington. Writer Ray Anthony Shepard and illustrator Keith Mallett inform the story of her escape and self-emancipation within the type of a poem, repeating the chorus “Why you run, Ona Decide?” Shepard joined GBH’s Morning Version hosts Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel to speak in regards to the ebook forward of Juneteenth. This transcript has been edited for readability and size.

As a bonus, click on the pay attention button above to listen to GBH’s Below the Radar host Callie Crossley learn an excerpt from the story.

Jeremy Siegel: The ebook “Runaway” is the story of Ona Decide, an African American girl born into slavery and enslaved by Martha and George Washington, who risked her life and comfy dwelling to emancipate herself by working away to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

So to get began, Ray, inform us just a little bit about why you needed to jot down this ebook.

Ray Anthony Shepard: After I retired from academic publishing some 10 years in the past, I made a decision I needed to start an encore profession, writing in regards to the Black expertise for youngsters or younger adults. My second ebook, “Runaway,” is the story of Ona Decide, is the story of somebody who had one of the best job a slave may have. And it wasn’t sufficient. Nonetheless, this want for liberty, this want for freedom, the need to be your personal particular person was larger than being a particular slave to essentially the most highly effective couple in America. And he or she selected the hardscrabble lifetime of a fugitive in New Hampshire versus being a privileged slave for the Washingtons.

Paris Alston: Inform us extra about Ona Decide. Who’s she? What was her life like?

Shepard: Ona was born in Mount Vernon both in 1793 or 1794. Her father was an English indentured servant who labored in Mount Vernon for 4 to seven years. Her mom was a seamstress for Martha. And at age 10, Ona grew to become a full-time seamstress, an apprentice, if you happen to like. And at age 16, when George Washington moved to New York to turn into president of the brand new nation, Martha took Ona to New York after which ultimately Philadelphia when the capital moved there. And it was there, at age 23, after 23 years of being enslaved, she determined, with the assistance of Black and white abolitionists, to flee, to train her personal want for freedom. Generally I referred to it as she stole herself, despite the truth that George Washington made two makes an attempt to kidnap her and return her to Mount Vernon.

Siegel: All through this poem, you repeat the query, “Why you run, Ona Decide?” Why is a rhetorical query like that so central to this story?

Shepard: Properly, I feel when you have essentially the most privileged — you’ve got one of the best job a slave can have, “why you run, Ona Decide?” And picture you are a area hand and also you’re working 12, 14 hours a day within the sizzling solar below harsh situations. And also you see this very engaging younger girl who has clear and really good garments, and is handled properly. After which someday you hear that she escaped. “Why you run, Ona Decide?”

Siegel: We’re having this dialog forward of Juneteenth, the day that many faculty children could have off. Why do you suppose a narrative like that is vital and important for youngsters to listen to? You already know, in understanding and embracing Juneteenth?

Shepard: Properly, there are a few main methods to know Juneteenth. One, it benchmarks our progress as a rustic, striving, struggling — a battle that also continues — to turn into a multiracial, multiethnic democracy. And we’ve to know that these enslaved individuals who may, emancipated themselves. Or those that tried and failed. This is somebody who has all of it. However the inner drive for freedom or liberty is larger than any materials wealth.

Click on the pay attention button above to listen to GBH’s Below the Radar host Callie Crossley learn an excerpt from the story. The studying begins round 4:41.