Overlooked No More: Ada Blackjack (1920s, empire, Russia, kings)

[Cida]

The NYT is occasionally doing belated obits/bios on people who were unremarked before, especially women and people of color.

This is one is amazing.


Overlooked No More: Ada Blackjack, Survivor of a Harrowing Arctic Expedition
She learned to fend for herself during a venture to Wrangel Island. By the time a rescue ship arrived, she was the last crew member standing.
She had been hired as a seamstress to accompany a crew organized by the Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, who sought to claim the desolate island between Alaska and Russia for the British Empire.
Upon arrival, Blackjack sought to marry Crawford or any of the other men, believing that they would protect her. Instead, they rejected her advances, and she became hysterical as a deep fear took hold. She ran away into the mountains, attempted to poison herself and refused to work. To punish her insubordination, the men tied her to a flagpole and denied her food.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/09/o...verlooked.html


Ada Blackjack, the Forgotten Sole Survivor of an Odd Arctic Expedition
In the early 1920s, 23-year-old Blackjack endured a two-year stay on frosty Wrangel Island.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/article...rctic-survivor

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Interesting story and piece of history-thanks for sharing.

[adjusterjack]

To punish her insubordination, the men tied her to a flagpole and denied her food.

And she was the sole survivor?

I bet she killed them all.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by adjusterjack

And she was the sole survivor?

I bet she killed them all.

LOL. The makings of an interesting movie.

[Mightyqueen801]

I love these bits of history.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

I love these bits of history.

Yes, this is a great series that the NYT has been doing. It wouldn't surprise me if they put out a book of them at some point.