Belinda Sutton
| Sex anaa gender | female  |
|---|---|
| Country wey e be citizen | Ghana |
| Given name | Belinda |
| Family name | Royall |
| Date of birth | 1712, 1713 |
| Place dem born am | Ghana |
| Date of death | 1790 |
| Languages dem dey speak, wrep anaa sign | English |
| Occupation | writer |
| Work location | Massachusetts |
| Ethnic group | African Americans |
Belinda Sutton (dem born am 1713 for West Africa), alias Belinda Royall, na she be Ghanaian-born woman wey dem enslave am by de Royall family for Isaac Royall House wey dey Medford, Massachusetts, USA. Isaac Royall Jr., abandon am as na he fly go Nova Scotia for de beginning of de American Revolution.[1]
Sutton present petition give Massachusetts General Court wey na she dey request pension from de proceeds of ein enslaver dema estate for February 1783 insyd. Secof dis result of petition, dem award am annual pension of fifteen pounds den twelve shillings. Dem cite dis pension as one of de first cases of reparation for slavery den slave trade insyd.[1][2]
Subsequent petitions to de Commonwealth of Massachusetts dey show say after two initial payments, na de pension payments no be forthcoming. She continue petition for de back payments till final filing for 1793 insyd.[3]
For ein 1980 poem insyd "Belinda's Petition," Rita Dove dey give voice to woman wey dem first enslave at age 12: "Lately your Countrymen dem severe / de Binds of Tyranny," she say, wey she add simply, "I would hope you / would consider de Same for me."[4]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Belinda's Petition: Massachusetts Anti-Slavery and Anti-Segregation Petitions; Massachusetts Archives Collection. v.239-Revolution Resolves, 1783. SC1/series 45X. Massachusetts Archives. Boston, Mass.. Collection Development Department. Widener Library. HCL. Harvard University. Accessed 17 February 2023.
- The Petition of Belinda Sutton (previously known as Belinda Royall), dem transcribe[5]
- Singleton, Kyera (14 February 2022). "Webinar: Challenging Assumptions in Telling Underrepresented History" (video). youtube.com. Massachusetts Historical Society.
- Allibhai, Aabid (3 November 2022), "Belinda Sutton's World: Slavery, Legal Activism, and Abolition in Revolutionary New England" (video). youtube.com. Massachusetts Historical Society.
- Jones, Martha S. (17 November 2022). "Belinda Sutton Distinguished Lecture: What's So Hard About Hard Histories?" (video). youtube.com. Harvard Law School.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rivera, Alicia (20 September 2009). "Belinda Royall (1712-?) •". Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ↑ Coates, Ta-Nehisi. "The Case for Reparations". The Atlantic. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ↑ "Belinda Sutton and Her Petitions". The Royall House & Slave Quarters. 28 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ↑ "Belinda's Petition: a Poem by Rita Dove". The Royall House and Slave Quarters. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ↑ "The Petition of Belinda Sutton (previously known as Belinda Royall)". Medford Historical Society & Museum. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2023.