01/08/2026
, we remember Michael Queen, who was born about 1804 enslaved by the Jesuits, and died about the age of 85. His life spanned one of the most consequential periods in American history. His mother, Henny Queen, was born enslaved at the “lower quarters” of the White Marsh plantation, forced to the St. Joseph’s Mission on the Eastern Shore, then later enslaved at the Bohemia Mission in Cecil County, Maryland.
Michael Queen died on January 7, 1889, in Chester, Pennsylvania, having lived through enslavement, emancipation, and the uncertain promises of freedom afterward. He was “laid in his final resting place in St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery,” on the outskirts of Philadelphia.
Today, we honor Michael Queen by speaking his name and preserving his story.