Rhonda Jones: I And More May Owe Our Very Lives To This True Hero – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
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Rhonda Jones and the Legacy of Freedom– A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
Revolutionary Hero
We never learn the names of most heroes. Their actions are performed to help their fellow man, not for fame and money. Today, I share the story of a remarkably strong woman who, after escaping slavery, risked her very freedom and life to help others.
Celebrating Rhonda Jones
Rhonda Jones was known as the “oldest surviving resident of Africa. She eventually escaped slavery and was part of a settlement of free African Americans near Ripley, Ohio, which served as a refuge and a hub of resistance against slavery. Her story is one of quiet heroism, resilience, and an ongoing fight for freedom—an inspiring reminder that not all heroes are celebrated widely, but their contributions are vital.
In May 1910, Rhoda Jones, accompanied by her loyal dog, stood outside her cabin near Ripley, Ohio. She was the oldest surviving resident of Africa, a settlement of free African former slaves perched on the hillside above Ripley, a place synonymous with defiance against slavery. She wasn’t just a witness to history but part of its very foundation. As enslaved people crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky, desperate for freedom, Rhoda and others like her offered more than shelter—they provided hope, guidance, and a pathway to a better future.
The Decades-Long Nightmare Begins
Rhonda was captured and transported much like livestock to the U.S. as an enslaved person, likely on a slave ship. Her ordeals are unimaginable to us today.
Slave ships were floating nightmares—large, dark, and notoriously brutal. Once aboard, enslaved people faced conditions that defy comprehension and compassion. The ships were crammed with hundreds of men, women, and children, packed tightly into damp, dark holds with barely enough space to lie down or sit upright. The air was thick with stench—sickening, foul, and oppressive—composed of human waste, vomit, sweat, and decay. An estimated 19% of them died during the voyage, with mortality rates considerably higher in Africa itself during the process of capturing and transporting.
The temperature on these vessels could soar during the day and plummet at night, creating a hellish environment for those chained below deck. They were subjected to relentless exposure to disease—typhus, smallpox, measles—spreading rapidly in the close quarters. Sanitation was nonexistent; deaths were common, often simply thrown overboard without ceremony. Many prisoners endured brutal treatment; they were chained together, deprived of proper food or water, and whipped for any perceived disobedience. The woman often raped through their entire nightmare of slavery.
The journey, often lasting weeks to months, was a harrowing ordeal that stripped individuals of their dignity, humanity, and, too frequently, their lives. The brutal conditions of these ships underscore the unimaginable suffering endured by those forcibly taken from their homelands and transported across the Atlantic.
Upon arriving in the “Land of the Free,” freedom was labeled: “Whites Only.”
“The fight for freedom was never easy. If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass
Imagine the nights she must have spent, scanning the horizon for those making the perilous journey: the hushed conversations, the hurried footsteps, the palpable fear in the air. Yet, even in the face of danger, she remained steadfast, knowing that each life she helped was a blow against the institution of slavery. Her modest but sturdy cabin was more than just a home—it was a beacon, a place that whispered of the possibilities beyond oppression.
Rhoda’s legacy is one of survival, defiance, resilience, and determination to enact change through acts of quiet bravery. She represents a generation of freedom fighters whose names may never be known but whose contributions remain indelible.
When we speak of heroes, let us not forget those who did not seek recognition or stand in the shadows but made the greatest difference. Rhoda Jones, standing beside her cabin, is a reminder that heroism isn’t always found in grand gestures, but in the unwavering commitment to fight for freedom, even when history isn’t watching.
There are thousands of heroes NOT celebrated in history books, nor are their names etched into monuments and stories retold in grand narratives. But some of the most profound acts of courage and resistance are carried out in silence—by ordinary people whose unwavering commitment to justice shapes the world in ways history often overlooks. Rhoda Jones was one of those quiet revolutionaries.
CONCLUSION
Like the currents of the Ohio River, Rhonda’s story continues to flow through time, reminding us that true courage comes not from pursuing glory but from the determination to improve the world, even when the risks are significant. That is the legacy of a true hero.
Slavery in the U.S. officially ended in December 1865.
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I am a proud nerd (as my beautiful wife and daughter have told me) investment and finance blogger with an N.C. State, Chemical Engineering, University Rutgers, MBA and Harvard University, Advanced Management education.
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