The Funeral Director Who Helped People Escape Slavery

The year is 1852.

A woman stands in the doorway of a funeral parlor in Philadelphia, the weight of fresh grief still heavy on her shoulders. Her husband has died unexpectedly, leaving behind a business that few people would imagine a woman running, let alone a Black woman.

But Henrietta Duterte steps inside anyway.

From Widow to Funeral Director

She learns the work, and the work is demanding. In the era before modern embalming techniques, funerals had to be arranged quickly and carefully. Funeral directors were responsible for transportation, preparation, and coordinating services with families and churches. Day after day, she prepared the deceased, comforted grieving families, and quietly built a reputation for dignity and care. Families trusted her and the community knew her name. The business began to grow.

Under Henrietta’s leadership, the funeral home became known for its reliable and efficient service. Historical accounts estimate the business brought in around $8,000 a year at the time, roughly the equivalent of about $338,000 today.

Henrietta Duterte became one of the earliest known American women to work as a mortician and funeral director.

But her work didn't end when the day was over.

A Secret Role in the Underground Railroad

Philadelphia was a critical hub in the Underground Railroad, the secret network that helped enslaved people escape from the South and travel north toward freedom.

Henrietta Duterte was part of that network.

Her funeral business gave her something invaluable: the ability to move people quietly through the city without drawing attention.

Historical accounts describe how she sometimes helped fugitives by hiding them in coffins or disguising them as part of funeral processions. A carriage carrying a casket was unlikely to be questioned. A funeral procession was rarely interrupted.

The same rituals meant to honor the dead occasionally became a door to a new life for the living.

A Life of Community Leadership

Henrietta's service to her community didn't stop there.

The funeral home allowed her to support institutions that were vital to Philadelphia’s Black community. She contributed to Mother Bethel AME Church, helped support the Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons, and gave to organizations assisting formerly enslaved people rebuilding their lives after the Civil War.

In a time when opportunities were limited and discrimination was widespread, Henrietta used her position to strengthen the community around her.

A Legacy Worth Remembering

At its heart, funeral service is about showing up for people when they need it most. It's profession heavily centered on care, dignity, and service to others, often during life’s most difficult moments. Henrietta Duterte embodied that spirit in extraordinary ways.

She ran a successful funeral home when few women did; she supported her community when resources were scarce; and she quietly used her business to help people find freedom.

It might sound like the premise of a historical novel, but it’s not fiction.

It’s the true story of a funeral director who used her work not only to honor lives but to help save them.

Happy Women's History Month!

Key Sources on Henrietta Duterte

1. Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL)
Provides historical information about her funeral business and family records.
https://pacscl.org/

2. Amsterdam News – “Henrietta Duterte: abolitionist and first woman owner of a funeral home”
Article summarizing her role in the Underground Railroad and funeral profession.
https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2020/04/23/henrietta-duterte-abolitionist-and-first-woman-own/

3. Mother Bethel AME Church historical records
Documents her involvement with the church and Black community institutions in Philadelphia.
https://motherbethel.org/

4. National Museum of African American History & Culture (Underground Railroad context)
Background on the Underground Railroad networks operating in cities like Philadelphia.
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/underground-railroad

5. Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia – Underground Railroad in Philadelphia
Provides scholarly context about how Philadelphia functioned as a hub for freedom seekers.
https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/underground-railroad/