About us
About the Foundation
The mission of the Celia Newsom Foundation is to combat racial inequities that have a disproportionately impacted Black Americans through successful advocacy, research, and inclusive socio-political development and to properly document the true history of Celia Newsom.
The Celia Newsom Foundation aims to push forth Celia Newsom’s contributions to human rights and lawfulness by helping to provide opportunities for African Americans to explore legacy-building and reparational-healing mechanisms through policy research and creative community strategies.
The Foundation envisions a world where African Americans have full legal and wealth protections for generations to come. Incorporated in July 2021, the rich legacy and ancestral transmission of Celia Newsom, and the relentless determination of her living descendants, informed the necessary formation of the Celia Newsom Foundation.
The Legacy of Celia Newson (Celia, a Survivor)
Celia Newsom was a mother, daughter, and freedom fighter. Born into slavery in the mid-1800s, Celia’s name reached national acclaim when she went to trial for murder.
Celia was much more than simply a Slave. She was a daughter, mother, grandmother, and pioneer for women's rights and Black liberation. Her legacy of tenacity now lives on for all to learn from and be inspired. Celia’s name first reached national acclaim in 1855 when she was tried in the court of Callaway County, Missouri for murdering her enslaver, Robert Newsom, for his refusal to stop having intercourse with her.
Celia was named after her first enslaver Sisselia Murphy Powell. Sisselia was an anglo-Kentuckian and the wife of anglo-Marylander, Robert Powell. Born into slavery in 1836, Celia was sold from the Powells family to the wealthy and widowed Virginian-Missourian, Robert Newsom, between August 1850 and April 1851 from the Powells in Audrain County, Missouri.
Between 1831-1836, Sisselea Murphy Powell (enslaver), acquired the mother of Celia named Charlotte (enslaved) in Nicholas County, Kentucky. In 1836, Celia was born in Nicholas County, Kentucky to her mother Charlotte. Celia’s father was possibly named Jack (enslaved), who had also been the slave of Robert Powell.
Celia and her mother Charlotte migrated from Nicholas County, Kentucky to Audrain County, Missouri with their enslavers and settled in Salt Water Township, approximately eight miles north of Mexico, Missouri. Between 1831-1841, Celia’s mother, Charlotte had three children, one of which was Celia, in addition to another boy and girl. The names of Celia’s siblings have yet to be discovered.
Meanwhile in Callaway County, Missouri, sixty-year old Robert Newsom had recently become widowed after the death of wife Elizabeth Newsom in 1848, and was looking to acquire a female slave for sex. His neighbor, Henry Powell, likely told him of the fourteen-year old slave girl Celia that he could purchase from his father Robert Powell in nearby Audrain County. Thereafter, between August 1850 and April 1851 Celia was purchased by Robert Newsom from Robert Powell in Salt Water Township, Audrain County, Missouri. Robert Newsom then brought Celia with him back to Callaway County, Missouri, near present day Columbia, Missouri, and he is believed to have had intercourse with her on the journey back. Robert Newsom had sexual intercourse with Celia repeatedly between 1850-1855.
Between the years of 1851-1853, Celia gave birth to two children, who were likely both fathered by her enslaver, Robert Newsom. On the approximate date of Thursday, January 25, 1855, Celia became pregnant again by Robert Newsom. This date of conception is based on the analysis of a full-term pregnancy. The presumed birth of Celia’s youngest daughter was on or before Wednesday, October 3, 1855.
During her time on Robert Newsom’s property, Celia developed a relationship with another slave, George. Having grown tired of Celia’s “relationship” with Robert, George asked her to quit her involvement with Robert Newsom. Celia made pleas to Robert Newsom and likely his adult children living on the property, asking them to not let Robert come to her cabin anymore. But Robert refused to stop.
On the late evening of on Saturday, June 23, 1855, pregnant nineteen-year-old Celia asked Robert to leave her cabin, and when he entered anyway, Celia defended herself. Celia struck Robert with a table leg in the head, and after he fell, she struck him again. Based on her interviews and trial testimony, she did not intend to kill Robert, but he died. She testified that she thought about what to do next, and hearing that she would be hanged for killing Robert, against Newsoms final rape attempt, thus resulting in Robert Newsom’s death. According to her state court testimony, Celia then burned Robert Newsoms dead body in a fireplace and the following day enticed one of Newsom's adolescent grandsons to bury his own grandfathers ashes, unbeknownst to him, for a sack of two dozen plantation walnuts.
Leadership
All trustees and directors of the Celia Newsom Foundation are descendants of Celia Newsom and endeavor to carry on her rich legacy in truth and service:
Tabitha Goggins, President & Great-granddaughter of Celia Newsom
Rev. Allen Turner (1938-1995), Founding Trustee, Great-great-grandson to Celia Newsom
Chantel Hampton, Trustee & Great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Celia Newsom
India Hampton, Trustee & Great-great-great-granddaughter of Celia Newsom
Ernest Hill, Director & Great-great-great-great-grandson of Celia Newsom