description: The true story of an individual's struggle for self-identity, self-preservation, and freedom, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl remains among the few extant slave narratives written by a woman. This autobiographical account chronicles the remarkable odyssey of Harriet Jacobs (1813–1897) whose dauntless spirit and faith carried her from a life of servitude and degradation in North Carolina to liberty and reunion with her children in the North.Written and published in 1861 after Jacobs' harrowing escape from a vile and predatory master, the memoir delivers a powerful and unflinching portrayal of the abuses and hypocrisy of the master-slave relationship. Jacobs writes frankly of the horrors she suffered as a slave, her eventual escape after several unsuccessful attempts, and her seven years in self-imposed exile, hiding in a coffin-like "garret" attached to her grandmother's porch.A rare firsthand account of a courageous woman's determination and endurance, this inspirational story also represents a valuable historical record of the continuing battle for freedom and the preservation of family.
language: English
title: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
titlecomplete: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
characters: James Norcom, John  Jacobs, Louisa Sawyer, Molly Horniblow, Nathaniel Parker Willis, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Cornelia Grinnel Willis, Samuel Tredwell Sawyer, Joseph Sawyer
genres: African American, Biography, Classics, History, Autobiography, Race, Historical, Nonfiction, Memoir, School
ratings_count: 52149
places: North Carolina
publisher: Ams Pr Inc