PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥� From her footprints in Philadelphia to her face in New Hampshire, advocates for telling the whole truth of American history are celebrating 230 years ago.
Judge, who was born into slavery on George Washington鈥檚 plantation, was 22 years old when she slipped away from the president鈥檚 official residence in Philadelphia on May 21, 1796. She hid on a boat that carried her to New Hampshire, where she later married and had three children.
May 21st has been officially declared Ona Judge Day in Philadelphia, where a rally took place Thursday at the President鈥檚 House site, a target of the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to remove information it deems 鈥渄isparaging鈥� to Americans from federal properties. Participants chanted 鈥淭ell the truth! Restore our history!鈥� after hearing from those involved in fighting to restore exhibits about Judge and other people enslaved at the site.
The panels were abruptly following an executive order from President Donald Trump. Some of the exhibits were restored following a judge鈥檚 order, but the work has been halted while the
A panel featuring Judge is among those that have been rehung, and she is further memorialized in a series of bronze footprints embedded in the sidewalk symbolizing how she escaped to freedom.
鈥淲e remember her courage, her passion, her determination, that we make sure that in no way, shape or form she is ever forgotten,” said Cindy Bass, a member of the Philadelphia City Council. 鈥淓ach one, teach one. Everyone, tell someone.鈥�
Dawn Chavous, a volunteer for the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, said it’s important to acknowledge the contributions of all people who shaped the country.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 love America without knowing the good, the bad and the ugly,鈥� she said. 鈥淪lavery was part of our American story, and that is not something that we should hide or run away from.鈥�
In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a 13-by-25-foot mural depicting Judge is being unveiled Saturday on the side of a building owned by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. The organization has featured her story for years with tours and other educational programs.
鈥淎t a time when stories of struggle and freedom are being erased, New Hampshire is choosing something different: to make the quest for freedom visible, permanent, and undeniable,鈥� the organization said in announcing the mural project.
____
Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
