In the 1740, a boat impact African individuals who is ended up selling towards the bondage docked at The new Castle, Delaware

One of the scared Africans who huddled together and you may occurred in place by iron shackles is an enthusiastic 18 year-old girl. Including the anyone else agreeable, she realized no English, therefore we haven't any checklist from their African name. In the usa, she is actually named Betty. Betty try one of countless Africans who have been transported so you're able to The united states in the 1600s and 1700s to become slave laborers within the the little nest up coming referred to as "Around three All the way down Areas from Delaware."

Legislation against black men that have sex that have white feminine was extremely serious, however, no discipline to have light guys which forced black female to help you features sex using them lived

Betty was most likely sold so you can a farmer which lay their unique so you can manage an effective hoe, a farm product popular both in America and you can West Africa. Betty or any other African-born someone plowed, weeded, and collected harvest because of their grasp. She possess lived in a little cottage, during the a barn, or even in the fresh new loft or basement of their particular master's house. Little-by-little, Betty discovered English out of reading their particular grasp and his awesome family members speak and also by listening to almost every other African people that had lived in America for a longer time. As well as the record out-of their unique sale, we all know nothing regarding the Betty's lifetime in the Delaware. She could have borne college students whose descendants live on Us today.

The story off Betty reveals our difficulty during the recapturing the brand new lifestyle regarding Delaware's earliest women of African traditions.