In a history oversaturated with the triumphant stories of male "runaways" from slavery, female self-liberators are often overlooked. Through exploring their motivations and limitations that came with their gender and living in Virginia, the calculated decisions of these women can be seen.
Some of Virginia's victorious:
Advertisement searching for heavily pregnant woman, running away with her husband (VA Gazette, Parks, 1739)
Two captured slave advertisements (VA Gazette, 1768)
Advertisement for Nanny, first recorded self-liberator in Albemarle County (VA Gazette, 1766)
Nanny's second runaway advertisement (VA Gazette, 1768)
Two runaway slave girls (VA Gazette, 1767)
Woman jailed for passing as free (Richmond Enquirer, 1839)