Image from “The history of witches and wizards : giving a true account of all their tryals in England, Scotland, Sweedland, France and New England : with their confession and condemnation” by W.P., 1760.
Tituba was born in South America where she was captured and sold into slavery in Barbados. She moved to Salem with the Parris family in 1689. Along with Sarah Osburn and Sarah Good, Tituba was one of the first people in Salem to be accused of witchcraft and arrested during the trials. Tituba confessed to knowing of witches in Salem and testified that Salem was “invaded by the Devil” and that witches were everywhere. She later recanted this confession, stating that she lied to save herself, but little attention was paid to these statements during the height of the trials. She was spared the gallows because of her confession but remained in prison until she was eventually sold to a different slave owner. No records or evidence exists regarding her life after the sale.
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