Tituba, The First Woman Accused of Witchcraft in Salem

Posted: 10.14.2025 | Updated: 10.13.2025

One of the darkest events in early American history took place more than three hundred years ago in Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch Trials lasted for around 15 months between 1692 and 1693. During that time, more than 200 people were arrested after being accused of practicing witchcraft.

Nineteen were executed by hanging, four died in prison waiting for their sentencing, and one person suffered the agony of being pressed to death underneath a plank covered in heavy stones.

The harrowing events of this point in history continue to intrigue people centuries later. Several books and films have been made depicting the trials and those who were accused. History lovers and horror enthusiasts alike want to learn every detail about the trials and all the people involved.

One of the most important individuals in the Salem Witch Trials was an enslaved woman named Tituba, who was one of the first residents of Salem to be accused of being a witch.

Are you ready to take a deep dive into one of the most talked-about events in history? Then book a ghost tour with us here at Salem Ghosts today.

Our crew will take you on a tour and share stories about some of the most haunted locations associated with the Salem Witch Trials, including the Witch House, Proctor’s Ledge, and the Old Burying Point Cemetery.

Schedule your tour today for a frighteningly good time! 

Was Tituba Involved in the Salem Witch Trials?

• Tituba was an enslaved Native American woman who was one of the first to be accused of practicing witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of 1692-1693.
• She was one of the three women first accused of practicing witchcraft, and she was the only member of the trio to survive the trials.
• Tituba’s testimony in court convinced the residents of Salem Village that there were several women practicing witchcraft in their community.

Tituba – The First Woman Accused of Witchcraft in Salem

Tituba was a slave owned by Rev. Samuel Parris in the late 1600s. She and her husband, John, were purchased by Samuel in Barbados before they moved to Salem Village in the Province of Massachusetts Bay with the Parris family.

In January 1692, Samuel’s daughter, Betty, and his niece, Abigail Williams, began acting strangely. The girls violently twisted their bodies and often complained about bites on their skin or being pinched. They’d make odd roaring sounds and rudely interrupt church sermons, which was out of character for them.

As their condition seemed to worsen, the town doctor was called in to assess them. The doctor was stunned at what he discovered, and after some hesitation, he diagnosed Betty and Abigail as being bewitched.

It wasn’t long before other young girls in Salem Village were showing the same symptoms. They were all believed to be under the spell of a witch. 

The girls would call out against those they believed were responsible, stating that they could sense who their tormentors were. Soon, the horrid conspiracy spread throughout the community that there were witches living amongst them.

Samuel’s daughter and niece accused Tituba of using witchcraft on them. She was interrogated by Samuel and denied all their accusations. She swore she didn’t do anything to hurt the children. 

Samuel was uncertain, wondering if Betty and Abigail were lying, so he didn’t have Tituba arrested. However, he did punish her by beating her for weeks until she eventually confessed to practicing witchcraft, but many believe she only did it to get the beatings to stop.

Sarah Good & Sarah Osborne

A few weeks later, two more girls, Ann Putnam and Betty Hubbard, accused Tituba and two other women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, of using witchcraft to hurt them. Betty’s testimony against Tituba in court caused the community to take legal action, and all three women were arrested on February 29th, 1692.

On March 1st, the three women were questioned by the court as members of the community watched. They were bound in chains and screamed at by their accusers. Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne both denied practicing witchcraft, but when Tituba was questioned, she told them the devil had come to her and asked her to join him.

Tituba went on to reveal that she saw Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne using magic to hurt the girls. She shared that they had two other women and a man from Boston helping them and that they had bullied her into becoming a witch and harming the children.

As Tituba spoke, the girls who had been screaming at her the entire time fell silent. The court believed this was a sign that Tituba was telling the truth because as soon as she stopped speaking, Betty and Abigail began screaming once again, as if she had a spell over them.

The Devil’s Book Signed in Blood

The following day, the magistrates of the court questioned Tituba again in her jail cell. She told them she signed the devil’s book with blood, and he showed her the signatures inside from Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and nine other witches in the community. 

She told them she had flown on sticks with the other witches and confessed that they held meetings at Samuel Parris’ home, using their powers to prevent him from finding out.

Because of Tituba’s confession, the people of Salem Village believed they were dealing with a large number of witches within their community. More and more people were reporting seeing spirits and observing women performing magic spells. Their stories lined up with Tituba’s confession, and the magistrates came to the conclusion that Tituba was telling the truth.

Because Tituba confessed to being a witch, she was no longer considered a threat to the community. No one who confessed to practicing witchcraft was executed during the Salem Witch Trials. As several new suspects were being arrested, Tituba was moved from the Salem jail to Boston to make room. She would regularly return to Salem to testify at the trials of those convicted and executed.

Tituba is Freed from Prison

Tituba remained in jail for a year because Samuel Parris refused to pay her bail. But since she was so useful as a witness, she was able to remain safe from the panic and hysteria while she was imprisoned. 

By the time her trial date came around, many people in Salem were wondering if any of the witchcraft accusations had been real. Unfortunately, it was too late for those who had already suffered at the hands of the hangman.

The court dismissed Tituba’s case, and she was no longer accused of any wrongdoing. But Samuel Parris still refused to pay any fines for her release. It wasn’t until she was sold to another settler who agreed to pay her penalties that she was finally freed from prison. There are no historical records that contain any additional information about Tituba’s life after the trials.

Haunted Salem

Salem, MA, is no stranger to hauntings. With so many events linked to dark and desolate pieces of America’s history, it is no surprise that entities roam the grounds at locations where tragic hauntings and occurrences took place.

If you are interested in learning more about Tituba and other individuals who played a pivotal role in the Salem witch trials, you should book a ghost tour with our crew here at Salem Ghosts. Our tour guides know the history of the trials inside and out and will share stories about reported hauntings at the very locations where key events took place.

To learn more about the most haunted places in Salem, be sure to check out our frequently updated blog, and like and subscribe to us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources:

• https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people/tituba.html
• https://wams.nyhistory.org/early-encounters/english-colonies/tituba
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/unraveling-mysteries-tituba-salem-witch-trials-180956960
• https://yalereview.org/article/tituba-winsome-pinnock
• https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-true-story-of-tituba-the-slave-at-the-center-of-the-salem-witch-trials
• https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-titubas-race-3530573