George Washington and the Tale of Ona Judge

What a CreepSeason 20, Episode 7George Washington and the Tale of Ona JudgeGeorge Washington is the “Father of Our Country” and one of American history's most revered Founding Fathers. We heard tales of how brave he was and that he could not tell a lie. He also famously refused to create a fiefdom with the office of President, which means we are not stuck with someone in office unless they are duly elected. Like many white people of his time, he enslaved people. This is a fact, and though not unusual in his peer group--it's not a great look for a person who is enshrined all across the United States. People want to downplay his racism and evil acts. Listening to Bill Maher and Elon Musk minimize his actions made us realize we need to dive into one of the first President’s most heinous acts by talking about badass Ona Judge. An enslaved woman who escaped from the President’s home and remained free despite his relentless pursuit of her. This woman is an American hero whom everyone who truly believes in liberty and freedom needs to learn about and memorialize her contribution to history. Trigger Warning: Racism and slaverySources for this episode:Twisted Philly PodcastGeorge Washington WikiDaily MailOney Judge WikiDrunk History with Jen KirkmanMt. Vernon.orgColonial Williamsburg, Virginia videoNever Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of the Runaway Slave, by Erica Armstrong DunbarErica Armstrong Dunbar at SMUBlack Heritage Trail videoThe White House Historical AssociationThe National Park ServiceZinn Education ProjectBeyond the Bell Tours (Philadelphia)