Ona Judge

ABSCONDED is a hybrid street performance/public ritual that honors the life and legacy of ONA MARIA JUDGE STAINES through the creation of a living monument that moves through the streets of New York City. Ona Judge was born into slavery before the American Revolution. She was a seamstress and Martha Washington’s body servant and “pet.” During Washington’s second term, on May 21, 1796 at age 22, Judge quietly absconded from Philadelphia on a ship to New Hampshire as the Washington’s ate dinner. With the help of Free Black and abolitionist communities, she evaded capture for the rest of her life.

This YouTube channel is dedicated to conversations about and archives of her life, her significance, and the ABSCONDED PROJECT.