Black History Month - Mary Black, an enslaved African American woman who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials

Born in the mid-1600s, her exact birthdate and place are unknown. Owned by Lieutenant Nathaniel Putnam, a prominent figure in Salem Village (now Danvers, Massachusetts), Mary lived and worked in a Puritan society where slavery and racial hierarchies were prevalent.

In April 1692, Mary was accused of witchcraft and imprisoned alongside others, including Tituba and Candy, two other enslaved women, and Sarah Osborne. She was not convicted or executed. By early 1693, the trials lost credibility, and Mary was released. There is not much documentation on her life before, or after, the Salem Witch Trials.