Customer Reviews

Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave

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Oney Judge was born on George Washington's famous home, Mt. Vernon. She had grown up there, she loved it there. On the surface, she led a good life. She was a personal favorite to the General and Lady Washington. She was treated like one of the family. Only problem was, Oney was a slave. "Taking Liberty" tells the story of Oney's childhood on Mt. Vernon and her loyalty to the family that loved her. But above all, it tells of her quest for the most basic human right, to be free.

I have often credited my love for history to Ann Rinaldi. Her books are always educational, historically accurate and above all, fun. "Taking Liberty" is her latest book, carrying on her wonderful style. Once again, I have found myself completely drawn in. Anyone, of any age, who enjoys a good story doesn't want to miss this.

Taking Liberty, is a thrilling adventure, by Ann Rinaldi, about a young slave girl, and how she learns that a mother's advice is the best advice in the world. Her mother has put Oney Judge in a hard position, show the love that she has for her mom and run, or stay with the washington's and never take her chance at being a free girl.

"Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave" gave an interesting look into the life of a real-life slave of the Washington's. I had no idea Oney Judge existed, and I liked reading about a personal slave companion for a change. Plenty is known about field slaves, so learning about the life of a slave who had a fair amount of freedom and good living was appealing. The only time you know she is truly a slave is when she may be "given" to someone. Author Ann Rinaldi used that scene wisely. I recommend.

Taking Liberty, by Ann Rinaldi is an appealing work of non-fiction that tells the life of Oney Judge, favorite servant to Lady Washington. Born and raised on the Washington plantation in Mount Vernon, Virginia, Oney grows and lives a life unusual to most Negro's, in and part of the Washington family. She led a good life, but is constantly reminded by her mama that she is still a slave. She becomes an expert at needlework, and eventually Lady Washington's body servant.
When George Washington is unanimously elected president in 1789, Oney and six enslaved Africans brought to New York to work in the presidential household. The next year the nation's capitol changed to Philadelphia, and so Oney moved with the Washington's again. Oney accompanies Lady Washington to many places, including visits to Mount Vernon.
During those visits, Oney would see her Mama, who relentlessly thinks of Oney as a fool for all of her opportunities to escape in the North, e.g. New York and Philadelphia. Oney told her mama Philadelphia was full of abolitionists, and that she would have a better chance of escaping there.
In Philadelphia, full of Quakers, Oney made friends with free blacks, including Louise from the Free African Society, a group that helps Negroes know what they are worth. And so as much a vexation as Louise was, it was important that Oney listened to her, and the rest of the Negroes, especially her mother, since they would all be looking to help her run. And so at last Oney attended a meeting for the Free African Society. Louise spoke, "We know a ship captain name of John Bowles. From Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He runs harnesses, bridles, saddles, and other leather goods out of Philadelphia to Portsmouth on the Nancy a few times a year. And betimes he takes a Negro from Philadelphia to Portsmouth too. It's safe up there for runaways." Another words, they were looking to help her run, or else she would be a slave to Eliza, Lady Washington's granddaughter, as a wedding present.
In a late spring night in May of 1796, Oney slipped out of the house while everyone was asleep, and a block away Louise was waiting. Oney jumped on board the Nancy at six-thirty, and was placed in a tiny space given to her in the hold. And at last they were moving, and at last they were leaving Philadelphia, and at last she was free.

Taking Liberty by Ann Rinaldi

I Love This Book!!! November, 2004
This book was an excellent book. I require it to anyone who reads it. If your into the Slavery type of books, I recommend this to you. When I saw this book on the shelf I just knew it was a good book for me. It's a page-turner. I was reading until 11 o'clock at night, it was good.

Taking Liberty was a book about a girl named Oney Judge. She was living with her mother, doing all kinds of work. Her father was a white man, who was also serving for the White House until he became on of "The Gone". She was serving with her mom until her mom stole a dress from a woman who lived at the White House. Mrs. Washington found out about some one stealing the dress. And Oney was the only one who knew. So Oney one day went to tell Mrs. Washington. And Mrs. Washington told and made her work I the fields. Since Oney got her mother in trouble, her mother started to abuse Oney.

From that day on Oney was living a good life. She was now Mrs. Washington's personal servant. She learned many things while working for her. She would hang in the kitchen with Hercules, the cook, and learned how to read. He would have her read recipes so that she would learn how to cook and to read. While she was having a good life, her mother was out in the fields. One day the general came to the White House and told Mr. Lude that he was going to take all the servants that he wanted to become part of "The Gone".

Now doesn't that book sound awesome to you? If you want to find out the ending then just read the book! A great recommendation!

I was kind of wondering whether or not to order this book. It sounded okay but I am picky to the style of writing the author uses. I was acually a little surprised that the book was so good. It really gives you an idea of what the charecters are like and how they think. I would recomend this book to anybody who likes a good story with alot of emotion.

This book tells about the life of a slave and how hard it was. There was so much pressure and uncertainty among the slaves. Running away was so hard for Oney Judge but she knew it was her duty-for her mama especially. Oney is a good role model and i will always keep her in my memory. You must read this book!

This book was assigned as part of a class that I'm currently taking in preparation for attaining my Masters Education Teachers Degree at the Middle School Level. The book was assigned in class to help us as Middle School Teachers to draw our students into the use of books in the classroom to supplement their standard textbook. This particular book was excellent in that the author used its characters to tell a personal story of a young slave girl Oney and weaved it through the relationship she had with her mother, Lady Washington and the institution of slavery during the American Revolutionary period. It also touched on the differences in the institution of slavery on a plantation from the status house servant and individuals that worked in the field. It also showed the dynamics of the personal relationship Oney had with Lady Washington. Overall I think the Middle School student would enjoy this book in that it shows our country during the Revolutionary War period, institution of slavery and through Georges' Washington Presidency. This story is told through Oneys' own eyes. Great read and I would recommend it highly as a part of teaching early slavery during the early period leading up to the Revolutionary War.

I loved this book but whished it would have told a little bit more about what happened to Oney after she was free. This is a great book for a person who loves reading books about historical events. I hope others who purchase this book will enjoy this book as much as I did.

A girl named Oney Judge is a slave girl who lives with her mama in the big house. Everyone really gets along in the house until Oney's mama buys a dress from a slave who stole it. She gets kicked out of the house and has to work as a field slave. Now mama despises her. Mr. Washington was elected president and most people in the house moved with them when they move. Mama tells Oney not to come back or she will kill her. A little bit before the end when they move to a different state, a lot of people are dying because of Yellow fever. She was to run away is to what her mama told her, but she still hasn't left. She doesn't want to leave because she like the way Mrs. Washington treats her like one of her own. Until she finds out that she was going to give her to her daughter as a wedding present. Oney didn't like that because her daughter was mean and treated her like a real slave. Oney also didn't want to go because if Mr. Washington died, all his slaves would be freed.
Overall I think this book was pretty good. The only part I really liked was that Oney was treated like one of the lady Washington's own. She got to go almost everywhere she went and got to sew things just for fun and got to go for walks if she had everything done. She always did what she was told. I didn't really like that Oney's mama treated her that way after she got caught with the dress. She didn't even claim her own daughter. She said she didn't have a daughter. I really didn't like that.
I would really recommend this book to girls or people who like to read about slaves. I think girls would read this more because it is about a girl. Some boys might read this book because it does talk a little bit about boys and has boys in it. I would recommend this book to people who like to read about the hardships slaves had to take.