Tituba, Maryse Condé and escrevivência: Black Women and the Word as Legacy

Tituba, an enslaved woman in the household of Salem Village’s minister, was one of the first to be accused of witchcraft in 1692. Under enormous pressure, she became the first to confess and claim there were more witches hiding in the colony. Through word Tituba was defined as a witch and through the word she accepted this identity and thus kept herself alive. Maryse Condé’s acclaimed novel “Tituba, Black Witch of Salem” has sought to fill in the gaps in this story. Join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8^th for a free virtual lecture given by teacher and writer Maria Carolina. In this presentation, Maria will discuss the concept of escrevivência (a term that refers to the specific writing of black women who, by narrating their own experiences, honor their ancestors) through the character Tituba and her relationship with Maryse Condé and other black women around the world.