“Can Ron DeSantis explain how being enslaved was beneficial to Celia?
In 1850, a fourteen-year-old girl in Missouri named Celia was purchased by enslaver, Robert Newsom.
Over the course of five years, he repeatedly raped her.
On June 23, 1855 while pregnant with her second child, Celia defended herself against more abuse, resulting in the death of her enslaver and rapist.
During Celia’s trial, Newsom’s grandson William Powell testified.
Powell testified that Celia had complained that Newsom repeatedly demanded sex and that she had approached other Newsom family members in a vain attempt to stop the rapes. Powell also admitted that Celia told him that her attack on Newsom came from desperation and that she only intended to injure, not kill.
Celia was found guilty.
An appeal was filed.
The Missouri Supreme Court ultimately ruled against her appeal.
On December 21, 1855 at 2:30 P.M., the state of Missouri murdered Celia on the gallows.
Are we going to teach children this history?
Or are we going to continue to whitewash history because it makes some people uncomfortable?”