Mary Black (Salem witch trials) facts for kids
Mary Black was an African-American woman who was enslaved during the 1600s. She lived with Nathaniel Putnam and his family. Mary was accused of witchcraft during the famous Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts.
Nathaniel Putnam's nephew, Thomas Putnam, was one of the main people making accusations. However, Nathaniel Putnam himself did not believe the charges against Mary. He even stood up for another accused woman, Rebecca Nurse.
Mary Black was arrested and put in prison. But she never went to a full trial. She was set free on January 21, 1693. After her release, she went back to live with Nathaniel Putnam. This shows that Nathaniel did not think she was guilty of witchcraft.
Mary was one of only three enslaved people accused during the Salem witch trials. The others were Tituba and Candy. All three of them survived the trials.
Mary Black's Arrest
On April 21, 1692, officials ordered Mary Black to be arrested. The officials were John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin. She was arrested because of "high suspicion" of witchcraft.
Other people arrested that day included Sarah Wildes, Sarah and Edward Bishop, William and Deliverance Hobbs, Nehemiah Abbot, Mary Eastey, and Mary English.
The accusations came from Thomas Putnam and John Buxton. They claimed Mary Black had harmed young girls like Ann Putnam, Jr., Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott.
Her Examination
Mary Black had a special hearing called an examination. Samuel Parris wrote down what happened during this hearing.
During her examination, Mary was asked to re-pin her neckcloth. When she did, the girls who claimed to be "afflicted" reacted strongly. They said they felt pricked, and some even bled. This included Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, and Mercy Lewis.
Despite these strange events, Mary Black always said she was innocent. She never admitted to being a witch.
No Trial for Mary
Mary Black was supposed to go to trial in January 1693. However, no one came forward to testify against her. Because there were no accusers, she was released from prison.
Historian Benjamin Ray wrote about Mary Black in his book Satan and Salem. He believes that Nathaniel Putnam was a very respected person in the community. It was likely that no one wanted to accuse his enslaved servant of wrongdoing.
Nathaniel Putnam did not accuse Mary himself. He also paid her jail fees and welcomed her back into his home. Ray also suggests that Mary's strong statements about her innocence might have been because Putnam helped her prepare.
It's also possible that Mary's accusers were trying to get back at Nathaniel Putnam. He had openly defended Rebecca Nurse, another person accused of witchcraft. Accusing an enslaved person would not gain much, as they did not own property.
See also
In Spanish: Mary Black (Juicios de Salem) para niños
