Description and Introduction of Each Key Figure
Nanny of the Maroons was a Jamaican warrior born in Ghana, West Africa, in 1686. Nanny was taken to Jamaica as an enslaved person after her family got involved in an intertribal conflict that led to her capture by the Spanish (Nanny of the Maroons, n.d.).
The second woman is Henrietta Duterte, an African-American born in a free black family in Philadelphia in 1817 (Baycora, 2021). Duterte was the first African-American female ever to manage her own funeral home in the country (Baycora, 2021). The third woman is Henrietta Wood, born in 1819 to an enslaved black family in Northern Kentucky (Trent, 2021). Wood received the largest compensation for slave reparations ever in history.
Their Major Contributions
Nanny and her brother Kojo escaped from a Spanish-owned plantation in 1655. When the British overthrew Spanish leadership over the Jamaican island, Nanny fled from the plantations, developed the Maroon community, and later claimed their freedom from the British (Nanny of the Maroons, n.d.). Duterte was an undertaker in the underground railroad, where she would smuggle black people out of slavery (Baycora, 2021).
The underground railroad was a lifeline for those running away from slavery, and Duterte would help them by transporting them in coffins from her mortuary (Baycora, 2021). Wood was sold to many enslavers and escaped the free state of Ohio but was captured and sold again (Trent, 2021). She tried to sue her Zebulon ward Deputy Sheriff, who caught her back to slavery, all in vain (Trent, 2021). However, when civil rights were established and enforced, Wood took Zebulon Ward to court for enslaving her even when she was free.
Reactions to Their Efforts from the Colonial Powers
When Nanny escaped British enslavement, the empire hired an army to raid the maroons in 1660. Nanny and her brother Kojo fought the military and plagued the British Empire until they agreed to sign a treaty of peace with the Maroons (Nanny of the Maroons, n.d.). Duterte was a passionate undercover woman who loved and was dedicated to her operations, hence never caught by the colonial powers (Baycora, 2021).
Indeed, she would wear a fake mustache and lead a funeral procession with escapees hiding in her coffins (Baycora, 2021). When Wood went to Ohio with her boss, she became free but was later captured by the deputy sheriff, Zebulon Ward, and sold into slavery again (Trent, 2021). Upon suing Zebulon, the colonial powers stood by him, but Wood won the case.
Comparison of the Three Figures
The three black women are similar in their devotion to resisting enslavement and the oppression of black people. They all used the power, knowledge, and the most available tools in resistance against colonialism. Nanny used her abilities to fight a gun using her buttocks, Duterte used undercover wits, and Wood used her law knowledge (Nanny of the Maroons, n.d.).
However, the figures differ based on their status of freedom and ability to support the community. Nanny was enslaved but fled to fight for the Maroon community (Nanny of the Maroons, n.d.). Duterte was a free woman but used her powers to run and financially support the black community (Baycora, 2021). Wood, on the other hand, was fighting for herself but served the purpose of resisting slavery.
Possible Messages
If Nanny, Duterte, and Wood were alive today, they would tell us to fight for our freedom against racism and modern segregation relentlessly. They would expect black people to celebrate and honor those who resisted their enslavement and oppression. Nanny, Duterte, and Wood warn against accepting less than they deserve, especially regarding government resource distribution and services.
They would also warn us about the expected population changes in America, where blacks could become the majority. These women would tell the black people to keep hope that they would finally be free someday. Finally, the key figures would hope that when the blacks become the majority and attain total freedom, they will not oppress the minorities.
Feedback to the Blogger
My feedback to the blogger who wrote the article about how the enslaved women supported the system is to do research. Before writing about a particular group of people, one should do a thorough investigation to ensure that the details are correct. Adequate research is critical to protecting other people’s image by reporting facts and not biased thoughts and opinions. Furthermore, writing a false report not only makes your blog inaccurate but also makes you an unreliable information source. As a journalist, you have the right and responsibility to write and post accurate information about others.
References
Baycora, F. (2021). The life and activism of Henrietta S. Bowers Duterte. Historic America. Web.
Nanny of the Maroons. (n.d.). Enslaved. Web.
Trent, S. (2021). She sued her enslaver for reparations and won. Her descendants never knew. The Washington Post. Web.