Never Caught: The Washington’s Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Never Caught: The Washington’s Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

                Not too long ago I sat in a kindergarten classroom while the history of George Washington was taught. The same old repeated stories were told to this classroom of young children that I heard as a child: he had wooden teeth, he cut down an apple tree, he was the father of our country. My son once sat in that same classroom and heard those same stories A year later he would take a field trip to Mount Vernon and see the home of the famous George Washington. Now, my son was taught about slavery but not in connection with the first president. So, as he learned more about those who had been enslaved like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, I made sure to also inform him that when he went to Mount Vernon, he was also visiting a slave plantation that housed hundreds of enslaved people within its acreage. He was shocked, mortified and sad. They hadn’t showed him at the tender of age of six, the slave dwellings on the land. They hadn’t told him the history of the enslaved people of the first president and his wife. But I saw no sense in hiding the truth. Which is also why he and I are reading this book together. Ever since finding out there was a young readers edition for this book, I knew it was one I would want us to read together, that way I would be able to discuss any questions he may have and talk him through the feelings he may have about the history of the First family and their history with slavery.

                Dunbar did a really great job of using the research available to describe not only Ona’s life and escape from the Washington family, but of relaying what life would be like for a enslaved woman at that time. This is the history of Ona Judge, both her life while enslaved and as a free woman, but it is also in many ways a history of both George and Martha Washington because Ona’s situations were determined by her owners. When George was informed that his slaves could emancipate themselves if they lived in Philadelphia for six months, he began to rotate them out of Philadelphia so they couldn’t claim their own freedom. Which meant that Ona was forced to move when she close to receiving her freedom back to Mount Vernon until it was deemed “safe” for her to return. Every decision they made affected her life until she made her escape.

                Dunbar’s concise and detailed writing made this an extremely easy to read historical account of Ona Judge’s life. Readers are able to see Ona’s situation clearly and why the risk would be worth the reward of running. It also sheds a light on the first president and his practices as a slave owner that many prefer to ignore. I’m giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Now my son, who turned eleven while reading this novel, had many questions. Most were centered around why so much of what he was reading now conflicted with the things he had been taught at school. There were moment's that left him "dumbstruck" but he liked the way Dunbar wrote the story. This led to more very honest discussions about where we live and the history of this country as a whole. He definitely recommends the young readers edition and wants other kids his age to read it. As he goes into this sixth-grade learning more about US History he seems more prepared for confronting a harsher reality. This book gave him the opportunity to learn more about the history of slavery, the Washington’s and the plight of Ona Judge.