Of all of the people enslaved in the southern United States over time, 40% of them were owned by women. For example, when she married George Washington in 1759, Martha Washington was herself the enslaver of 84 people.

So why has the trading and enslaving of people been commonly perceived as a male domain? Why, in fact, were many white women so entrenched in this trade in human lives?

In this episode, Don Wildman is joined by 2023 Dan David Prize winner Stephanie Jones-Rogers. Stephanie has been exploring the testimonies of these people formerly enslaved by women to find out more about their experiences.

Don Wildman is the host of American History Hit, on which he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.