Tituba of Salem: The Racial, Gendered, and Encultured Dimensions of a Confessed Witch

Abstract

This paper examines the involvement of the slave-woman Tituba in the Salem Witch Trials, observing how her race, gender and culture predisposed Tituba as a safe and logical choice for witchcraft accusation. The study finds that the very factors which contributed to her accusation provided Tituba with the opportunity to confess. The primary argument offers that Tituba's confession was significant given that it was the first in the trials to be offered. Her gender and race and cultural practices, while submitting her to accusation, are also the factors that led to her confession.