City Council recognizes May 21 as Ona Judge Day, citing enslaved person's escape from Washington household

Philadelphia City Council on Thursday formally recognized May 21 as Ona Judge Day, adopting a privileged resolution that memorializes the 1796 escape of Ona Judge from the household of President George Washington and urges the city to foster public education about that history.

Council Member Cindy Bass presented the measure, which recounts that Ona Judge was one of nine enslaved African descendants held at the President's House in Philadelphia and that she escaped on May 21, 1796. The resolution cites Pennsylvania's 1780 gradual abolition act and its 1788 amendment and says that Ona Judge's flight and later life in New Hampshire "represent a powerful act of resistance, self-determination and courage." The text also notes ongoing advocacy by the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) and directs that an engrossed copy of the resolution be presented to the coalition.

"By honoring Ona Judge, we honor truth, resilience and the ongoing fight for justice," Bass said while presenting the resolution. The Avenging the Ancestors Coalition was recognized in the resolution for organizing annual commemorations since 2003.

Michael Core, a representative of ATAC, thanked the council, led a moment of silence for the nine enslaved people held at the President's House, and urged that the city's upcoming 250th anniversary not ignore the "good, the bad and the ugly" of American history. "You need to know everything about them," Core said, arguing that commemorations should not obscure the full record of the nation's past.

The resolution places the commemoration on the city's calendar and encourages "residents, educators, institutions, and community organizations to commemorate this day through education, reflection, and programming that uplifts the history and legacy of Ona Judge and all those who resisted enslavement." The council instructed that an engrossed copy be presented to ATAC as a mark of the body's respect.

Next steps: the resolution is ceremonial and establishes a citywide recognition and encouragement for programming; no regulatory or budgetary directives were included in the text presented to council.