Unveiling the Untold Stories: Black Women as Spies Throughout History

Espionage, a world of shadows and secrets, has historically been dominated by male figures in popular culture. However, the contributions of women, particularly Black women, have often been overlooked. These women, facing the dual challenges of racism and sexism, have played vital roles in gathering intelligence, disrupting enemy operations, and shaping the course of history. From the battlefields of the Civil War to the covert operations of World War II and beyond, Black women have demonstrated extraordinary courage, intelligence, and resilience in the world of espionage.

Trailblazers of the Civil War Era

The American Civil War was a time of immense upheaval and societal change, and Black Americans played a crucial role in the Union’s efforts. Among them were several Black women who risked their lives to gather intelligence and undermine the Confederacy.

Mary Elizabeth Bowser: Infiltrating the Confederate White House

One of the most well-known figures is Mary Elizabeth Bowser, born a slave and later freed. Recognizing her intelligence, Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist, sent Bowser north to attend school. During the Civil War, Van Lew organized a spy ring and sent for Bowser to infiltrate the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis as a domestic servant.(Baltimore Times)

Bowser, possessing a remarkable photographic memory, pretended to be dull and unconcerned while diligently listening to and memorizing conversations between Davis and his visitors. She read war dispatches as she dusted furniture and later traveled to the Van Lew mansion to recite private conversations and document details from memory.(Baltimore Times) Though many of Bowser’s dispatches were destroyed, her reports were critical in helping the Union navigate its way toward victory.(Baltimore Times) Jefferson Davis was aware that the Union was somehow discovering Confederate plans but never uncovered the leak in his own household.(Baltimore Times) Intelligence and planning from Bowser helped a group of Union prisoners escape Richmond during the war.(Baltimore Times)

Mary Jane Richards: A More Detailed and Remarkable Story

While the story of Mary Elizabeth Bowser has become a popular legend, historical evidence suggests that the woman Annie Van Lew Hall remembered was actually named Mary Jane Richards.(National Park Service) Mary Jane Richards was most likely born in Virginia around 1840. The Van Lew family sent Mary Jane Richards to school in Princeton, New Jersey, in the 1850s.(National Park Service)

In August of 1860, Mary Jane Richards was arrested in Richmond for “perambulating the streets claiming to be a free woman of color.”(National Park Service) Eliza Van Lew told the court that Richards was enslaved. Richards left jail and Van Lew paid a ten dollar fine for “permitting her slave, Mary Jane, to go at large.”(National Park Service) On April 16, 1861, St. John’s Church recorded the marriage of Wilson Bowser and someone named Mary, likely Mary Jane Richards, which is probably the source of the name “Mary Bowser”.(National Park Service)

Free and enslaved African Americans, including Mary Jane Richards, were vital members of the espionage network that operated in Richmond in the latter part of the war.(National Park Service) On February 9, 1863, a new identification as a free person of color was issued to “Mary Jane Henley” in Richmond, likely Mary Jane Richards.(National Park Service)

On April 3, 1865, United States army forces liberated Richmond, and Mary Jane Richards quickly returned. As a literate and educated Black woman, her skills were much in demand in the time immediately following the war, when Northern aid societies created schools to teach the formerly enslaved.(National Park Service) In September of 1865, Mary Jane Richards gave two public speeches at churches in Harlem and Brooklyn, calling herself first “Richmonia Richards,” and then “Richmonia R. St Pierre,” and thrilled New York audiences with her narrative of being a spy in the Confederate capital.(National Park Service)

Harriet Tubman: From Underground Railroad to Union Spy

Harriet Tubman, known for her work with the Underground Railroad, also served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War.(Wikipedia) Her knowledge of the terrain and her ability to move undetected made her an invaluable asset. Tubman gathered intelligence, recruited formerly enslaved people for the Union cause, and even led a raid at Combahee Ferry, which liberated more than 700 enslaved people.(Wikipedia) She is widely credited as the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the United States.(Wikipedia)

World War II: Covert Operations in Occupied Territories

The Second World War presented new opportunities for women to serve in intelligence roles. Josephine Baker, the famous entertainer, used her fame and social connections to gather information for the French Resistance.(The Guardian)

Josephine Baker: A Superstar’s Secret Life

Before the Second World War, Josephine Baker had been “the Black Venus”: the world’s first female superstar of color. After the war, Baker became a prominent and outspoken US civil rights campaigner.(The Guardian) During it, she was a spy.

By 1939, Baker was recruited by Jacques Abtey, an initially sceptical French intelligence agent, Baker was Europe’s highest paid entertainer and one of its best-known female celebrities.(The Guardian) From early 1941, Baker, under the aegis of the French secret services, travelled from Marrakech, where she was based, to Lisbon, Madrid, Seville and Barcelona, and round north Africa, giving concerts, attending receptions – and gathering and passing top secret information to allied agents.(The Guardian) She proved expert enough at it to be awarded, after the war, the resistance medal and, belatedly, the Légion d’honneur with the military Croix de guerre.(The Guardian)

After the allied landings in north Africa in 1942, Baker and the local leaders she had cultivated played a crucial role aiding US counter-intelligence in Morocco, identifying Nazi spies and allowing hundreds of arrests.(The Guardian)

Breaking Barriers in Law Enforcement

In more recent times, Black women have made significant strides in law enforcement and intelligence agencies, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations.

Sylvia Mathis: The First Black Woman FBI Agent

Sylvia Mathis became the first Black female FBI agent in 1976. She obtained a political science degree from New York University and a juris doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1975. Mathis made an impression on her dean at UNC; himself a former FBI agent, he felt Mathis had the potential, and the qualifications, to break a barrier and encouraged her to pursue a career with the FBI.(Biography)

Mathis was first assigned to the organized crime squad at the FBI’s New York field office, but perhaps her most notable assignment arrived in 1978. Mathis was one of the agents tasked with interviewing survivors of the infamous massacre in Jonestown, Guyana.(Biography) In 1979, Mathis left the FBI and became the director of the Jacksonville Downtown Ecumenical Service Council.(Biography)

Cheryl Tyler: Protecting the President

Cheryl Tyler is the first Black woman to serve as a Secret Service agent protecting the President of the United States.(Defender Network) Tyler served under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, becoming the first Black woman to hold such a position.(Defender Network) Tyler was the first African American female agent to get a presidential detail; she was so good at guarding former President George H.W. Bush that she went on to become a trainer for other agents during her 15 years with the Secret Service.(KUT)

Black Women in Fiction

The contributions of Black women to the world of espionage have also been recognized in fiction. Recent novels and television shows have begun to portray Black women in complex and nuanced roles as spies and intelligence officers.

“Duster”: A Fictionalized Account of a Trailblazing FBI Agent

The show ‘Duster’ follows a fictional version of the first Black woman FBI agent. Her real-life inspiration, Sylvia Mathis, is a law enforcement trailblazer.(Biography)

“Black Doves”: A Modern Spy Thriller

Netflix’s new spy series Black Doves, Keira Knightley’s character Helen Webb seems to be the perfect wife and partner for an up-and-coming official in…(NPR)

Overcoming Obstacles and Shaping History

The stories of Black women in espionage are a testament to their unwavering determination, courage, and intelligence. Despite facing systemic racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination, these women have made invaluable contributions to their countries and communities. Their experiences highlight the importance of recognizing and celebrating the diverse voices and perspectives that have shaped history.

By shedding light on these untold stories, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of espionage and the vital role that Black women have played in this clandestine world. Their legacies serve as an inspiration to future generations, reminding us that anything is possible with perseverance and a commitment to justice.