In the Shadow of Liberty

In the Shadow of Liberty (2016), a young adult non-fiction book by American historian Kenneth C. Davis, explores the lives of five slaves owned by four of America's most important and respected founding fathers. The lives chronicled by the author include Billy Lee, George Washington's personal valet; Ona Judge, Martha Washington's lady’s maid; Isaac Granger, a talented artisan belonging to Thomas Jefferson; Paul Jennings, personal servant to James Madison; and Alfred Jackson, caretaker at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage plantation.

Billy Lee was born around 1750, taking on the last name of his owner, Colonel John Lee. When Billy was around eighteen, George Washington purchased him for sixty-one pounds and fifteen shillings. This was considered a high price at the time because Billy was a household slave or domestic servant, as opposed to a field laborer. Billy served as Washington's valet, which, at that time, was similar to a personal assistant. His duties ranged from riding alongside Washington in battle to hand him weapons, to brushing Washington's hair. Billy was known by Washington and his friends as an expert horseman, and because of this, he was charged with serving as huntsman on Washington's many fox hunts.

After the Revolutionary War, Billy remained at Mount Vernon where he served as a shoemaker. He has the distinction of being the only slave freed by Washington at the time of his death through his will, while the other slaves would not be freed until the death of Martha Washington. Billy chose to remain at Mount Vernon where he regularly regaled visitors with exciting tales of the exploits of George Washington and the Revolutionary War.



Ona Judge was born around 1773 at the Washington estate in Mount Vernon. Her slave status was complicated by the fact that her mother's owner was Martha Washington's first husband, who died without a will. As a result, Martha had no legal right to sell or free Ona. When Ona was around ten years old, she moved into the mansion house at Mount Vernon, likely as a playmate for Martha's granddaughter. When Ona was sixteen, she was one of a handful of slaves Washington brought with him to the nation's capital in New York City. When the capital was moved to Philadelphia, Ona was also selected to go with him.

After Washington's two terms as president ended and the family prepared to relocate back to Virginia, Ona feared that if she left Pennsylvania, she would never be free again. She had many friends in Philadelphia whom she knew would help her, and so she escaped. Despite attempts by Washington and later, his kin to recover Ona, even by kidnapping on one occasion, she never returned to the Washington household.

Isaac Granger was born into slavery around 1775. His father was the overseer at Thomas Jefferson's estate, Monticello, and while he was still a slave, his father did receive a paltry twenty-pound annual salary for his extensive duties at the estate. In addition to being a highly skilled blacksmith, tinsmith, and nailer, Granger witnessed a number of notable historical events, such as the raid on Richmond led by Benedict Arnold. He also met a number of notable historical figures, including the French general, Marquis de Lafayette.



Paul Jennings, born around 1799 in Montpelier, Vermont was owned by James Madison's family from birth. He went with the Madison family to the White House and is, perhaps, most famous for having written history's first-ever White House memoir: A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison. He helped win freedom by making friends with Daniel Webster, a Northern Senator who supported abolition.

Alfred Jackson was born into slavery around 1812 at President Andrew Jackson's estate, the Hermitage. He worked there for his entire life, eventually as caretaker, and staying on after the Emancipation Proclamation until his death in 1901. He was buried near the president and his wife.

In the Shadow of Freedom is a fascinating set of accounts, which show how the Founding Fathers, though they frequently invoked "freedom" in their political and military exploits, perpetuated the practice of slavery.