Skip to content

Biography · Biography & Culture

Mary Mildred Williams

Biography

United States

Source image for Mary Mildred WilliamsLoading image…
Visit the source record ↗

Biography

Mary Mildred Williams (born Botts, c. 1847 – 1921) was born into slavery in Virginia and became widely known as an example of a "white slave" in the years before the Civil War. In 1855, her escaped father bought his family's freedom with financial aid from abolitionists, and she, her mother and siblings joined him in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sources & collection details

Wikipedia contributors — original record ↗

Black heritage reference ↗

Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Continue exploring Series 1

Slavery, Resistance & Freedom →Business & Enterprise →Everyday Life & Community →

Explore all Series 1 cards →