This painting depicts Mila, a Black woman who was enslaved by Reverend William Anderson Scott (1813–1885), a public supporter of slavery. The New Orleans First Presbyterian Church, where Scott was the pastor, appears at the skyline’s center. Mila’s position in the household is symbolized by the slave cabin behind her and by her portrayal as a caregiver. Her hairstyle resembles those of the Fulani, one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, whose people live along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and in West and Central Africa.

Dr. Scott later moved his family to San Francisco, where he served as the pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church. In 1861,he was hung in effigy for his support of the Confederate states. The Christian minister’s support and practice of slavery typifies the moral hypocrisy of those who perpetuated the cruel system.