Slave Woman Harriet Jacobs Pens One of the Early Accounts of Her Personal Slavery Struggle
Harriet Jacobs, born in 1813 or 1815 in Edenton, North Carolina, lived a life that would become a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Her story, initially published under the pseudonym Linda Brent, was long thought to be primarily a fictional creation by her editor, Lydia Maria Child. However, modern scholarship in the late 20th century revealed Jacobs as the true author of "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl."
Jacobs' narrative, written in secret, details her experiences as an enslaved woman. Lydia Maria Child, a white abolitionist and editor, helped prepare the manuscript for publication and provided an introduction to support abolitionist causes. This collaboration led to early confusion about authorship.
The revelation of Jacobs' authorship was significant because it restored the autobiographical and testimonial value of the work as a firsthand account by an enslaved woman. This recognition affirmed the work as an authentic slave narrative and autobiography, rather than merely a fictional or heavily altered text.
Jacobs' childhood was sheltered from the harsh realities of American slavery. However, around the time she turned 15, Norcom, her owner, began to sexually harass her. Fearing for her safety, Jacobs resorted to hiding in a small crawlspace in her grandmother's attic for nearly seven years. During this time, her children were sent to the North.
Jacobs eventually escaped to the North, finding solace and support among abolitionists who published Frederick Douglass' paper, The North Star. She went on to Philadelphia, then to New York City, and finally to Rochester. It was in Rochester that Nathaniel Parker Willis and Cornelia Grinnell Willis purchased her freedom.
In Rochester, Jacobs also became involved with the abolitionist movement and was encouraged by Amy Post to write her own story. She wrote "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself" between 1853 and 1858. The book was intended to appeal to the sympathies of white women in the North.
Lydia Maria Child helped publish the book, and after its initial publication in 1861, it became a powerful voice against slavery. However, it was not until the 1970s that the book was reprinted and gained renewed recognition as one of the leading slave narratives from the era.
Today, Harriet Jacobs' story continues to inspire and educate, serving as a reminder of the struggles faced by enslaved women and the power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Harriet Jacobs' autobiographical work, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself," serves as a valuable resource in the history of education-and-self-development, providing insight into the experiences of an enslaved woman during a tumultuous period in American history. As she traveled from the South to the North and became involved with the abolitionist movement, Jacobs found learning opportunities in conjunction with her personal growth and offering informative accounts that fueled historical understanding.
