Rachel Findlay facts for kids

Rachel Findlay (born around 1750 – died after August 17, 1820) was a brave woman of Native American and African heritage. She was wrongly held as a slave for more than fifty years. Rachel went to court two times in the state of Virginia to fight for her freedom. She finally won her case in 1820.

Her Early Life

Rachel Findlay was born into slavery in the early 1750s. This happened in Virginia, in the area we now call Powhatan County.

Her mother likely had both Native American and African ancestors. Rachel's grandmother on her mother's side was named Chance. Chance was a Native American woman from the Catawba or Choctaw nation. She was also illegally held as a slave.

Fighting for Freedom

In the early 1770s, Rachel and her brother took their owner, Thomas Clay, to court. They argued that they were being held as slaves against the law. The colony of Virginia had actually ended the legal practice of Native American slavery in 1705. Being a descendant of a Native American person was one of the few reasons why enslaved Black people could sue to be set free during this time.

The First Court Case

In May 1773, the main court in colonial Virginia, located in Williamsburg, decided that Rachel and her brother should be free. But before the court made its final decision, the Clay family quickly sent Rachel and her young daughter west. They sold them to another slave owner, John Draper, near Ingles Ferry. Rachel and her daughter were then held as slaves by the Draper family in Wythe County, Virginia for forty more years.

A Second Chance in Court

In 1813, Rachel started a new court case. This time, she filed it in the Wythe County courts to gain her freedom. The case was later moved to Powhatan County and became a jury trial. Rachel's lawyers faced a big challenge. They had to convince a jury of twelve white men that Rachel had a right to be free.

Rachel officially won her freedom on May 13, 1820. She was also given one penny in damages. Because of Virginia law, when Rachel became free, all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren also became legally free. This meant about forty-four people in total gained their freedom!

Her Later Years

Not much is known about Rachel's life after she won her court case. It is believed that she passed away after August 17, 1820.

Her Lasting Impact

A novel called Free in Chains was published in 2002. It is a historical fiction story about Rachel Findlay's life and her brave fight for freedom.

In 2014, Rachel was honored as a Virginia Women in History inductee. This award is given to important women from Virginia. One of her descendants, Robert Fitzgerald, accepted the award for her. He said, "Her life reflects the human spirit’s need to be free and at all costs."