Sylvia Dubois | |
|---|---|
 Sylvia Dubois poses with her daughter Elizabeth Alexander, circa 1883 | |
| Born | 1788-1789 Sourland Mountain, New Jersey |
| Died | May 27, 1888 (aged 100 or 101) Sourland Mountain, New Jersey |
| Occupation(s) | Tavern owner, ferrywoman, field worker, domestic |
| Known for | Gaining freedom by beating up slave mistress |
| Notable work | Silvia Dubois: A Biografy of the Slav who Whipt Her Mistres and Gand Her Fredom by Dr. C.W. Larison |
| Children | Moses, Judith, Charlotte, Dorcas, Elizabeth, Rachel[1] |
Sylvia Dubois (c. 1788/89 – May 27, 1888), also spelled as Silvia Dubois or Sylvie Dubois, was an African-American woman born into slavery who became free after striking her slave mistress. After gaining her freedom, Dubois moved to New Jersey, where she lived with her children until her death. A physician by the name of C.W. Larison decided to document the life of Dubois and her journey to freedom in the book Silvia Dubois (Now 116 Yers Old) A Biografy of the Slav who Whipt Her Mistres and Gand Her Fredom.