Southwestern Coast of Africa (c 1626 – 1689)
Reytory Angola (Creole) an enslaved woman of African descent brought to New Amsterdam, New York (Manhattan Island) by the Dutch West India Company (DWIC) to build infrastructure for New Amsterdam. Reytory arrived in Manhattan sometime between 1626 and 1640. Very little is known about her life before that. What we do know about her early life comes from the last name Angola. This name identifies her as a woman from the southwestern coast of Africa. In 1643, Reytory adopted her godson named Anthony, after his mother died. In 1644, many enslaved men petitioned the DWIC for their freedom. Reytory and other wives of these men were granted their freedom, but none of their children were freed. In 1661, Reytory petitioned the Dutch colonial administration for the freedom of her adopted son Anthony, becoming the first individual Black person to petition a legislature. She argued that Anthony was free because he was raised without any help or money from the Company. The DWIC agreed with her argument and confirmed Anthony’s status as free. Her hard labor and skillful navigation of the social and legal customs enabled her to keep her free status until her death in 1689. Her efforts ensured that freedom passed to future generations of her family.
Remarkable Women 