The story of Celia is similar to that of Lena Baker, a black maid who was Sentenced to the Electric Chair for Defending Herself Against her Rapist Employer. However, unlike Baker, Celia was a slave with no legal rights, viewed only as property under the law. At just nineteen and pregnant, Celia faced trial for killing her owner while attempting to protect herself from sexual assault.
Born around 1835, little is known of Celia’s early years, but by the age of 14, her life would be dramatically altered. In 1850, a widower named Robert Newsom, a Missouri farmer, purchased her in Audrain County. Although he may have claimed to acquire her as a domestic slave for his family, Newsom had other intentions. Shortly after returning with 14 year old Celia to his farm, Newsom raped her. During that period, slaveowners were allowed to rape their slaves, as they were considered property and could neither give nor refuse consent, nor could they offer any reasonable resistance.
Newsom gave Celia a separate cabin close to his house, isolating her from his other male slaves.
Over the next five years, Newsom frequently visited Celia’s cabin, situated close to his main house, where he sexually assaulted the teenager. From 1851 to 1855, Celia gave birth to two children, with Newsom being the father of the second.
Sometime before 1855, Celia began a relationship with one of Newsom’s slaves named George who would sometimes visit her in her cabin. In February or early March of 1855, Celia became pregnant once more. This development troubled George, as he was uncertain whether the child was his or Newsom’s. Worried about the situation, he urged Celia to find a way to end the ongoing sexual exploitation by Newsom. Celia, desperate for relief, pleaded with Newsom to leave her alone, at least through her pregnancy, but he refused and continued his abuse despite her condition.
Celia even approached Newsom’s daughters, asking their help in getting Newsom “to quit forcing her while she was sick.” It is not clear whether either of the Newsom daughters made any attempt to intervene on Celia’s behalf, but it is known that the sexual assaults continued.
On the night of June 23, 1855, a desperate Celia took matters into her own hands. When Newsom came to her cabin to assault her again, Celia defended herself. She struck him twice with a large stick, killing him instantly. In a state of terror, she burned his body in her cabin’s fireplace, using stones to crush the bones that remained.
The following day, the Newsom family reported Robert missing. During the search, suspicion fell on Celia, and after extensive questioning, she confessed to the killing but denied any help from George or anyone else. After Celia’s arrest, George was sold to another family, distancing him from the case.
The trial that ensued, State of Missouri v. Celia, lasted several months, from June to October 1855. In a profoundly unjust setup, Missouri law at the time did not permit Celia to testify against a white person because she was a slave. Her legal defense, however, argued that her actions were justified under Missouri’s 1845 statute, which permitted “any woman” to use deadly force to defend herself against rape. The defense contended that this statute should also apply to Celia, despite her enslaved status.
The presiding judge, however, was unwilling to extend this protection to Celia as black women were excluded from being recognized as women. He prohibited the jury from considering self-defense or justification for her actions, and on October 10, 1855, the all-white, male jury convicted her. Although her defense filed for a retrial and even appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court, Celia’s execution was set for December 21, 1855.
Celia later gave a full confession, taking complete responsibility for Newsom’s death and denying any involvement from George. This confession was reported in the newspapers, but it conveniently omitted details about the sexual abuse by Newsom and the child Celia had with him.
While in jail awaiting execution, Celia gave birth to a stillborn child. On December 21, 1855, around 2:30 PM, Celia was taken to the gallows and hanged.
Her final resting place remains a mystery, and there are no records detailing what became of her two surviving children.
Resources
https://famous-trials.com/celia/181-chronology
https://famous-trials.com/celia/180-home
