Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery in 1813. Her first owner was Delilah Horniblow who taught her how to read, write, and sew. Her mistress was abnormally kind to her slaves compared to the other slave owners in the 1800s; she allowed Jacobs the freedom of a child. When Horniblow died, Jacobs was given to her late mistress' niece, Mary Matilda Norcom. Mary Matilda was only five years old at the time, so her father, Dr. Norcom, took responsibility for Jacobs. Under Norcom's care, Jacobs suffered emtional and sexual abuse. Norcom's attraction to Jacobs grew into an obsession, and he relentlessly pursued her. It was very common in the 1800s for slave owners to have affairs with their slaves, and Norcom was no different.
In addition to her master's abusive behavior, Jacobs had to endure his wife's bitter jealousy toward the affair. After years of abuse and neglect, Jacobs had had enough; she could no longer sustain the pressure. She devised an elaborate plan to try to earn her freedom. She initiated an affair with Samuel Tredwell Sawyer, a white lawyer who would later become a member in the U.S. House of Representatives, in order to conceive and provoke Norcom into selling her and her child. She soon became pregnant and was permitted to stay with her grandmother. Her master's reaction, however, was not expected. He was enraged with jealousy, but he did not sell her or her child. Soon after her first birth, she gave birth again to Sawyer's second child. Instead of selling Jacobs and her children, he planned to transfer the children into the fields of his plantation to do hard labor. Jacobs was very afraid for her children's well-being, so she decided to run away. However, she did not go far.
In addition to her master's abusive behavior, Jacobs had to endure his wife's bitter jealousy toward the affair. After years of abuse and neglect, Jacobs had had enough; she could no longer sustain the pressure. She devised an elaborate plan to try to earn her freedom. She initiated an affair with Samuel Tredwell Sawyer, a white lawyer who would later become a member in the U.S. House of Representatives, in order to conceive and provoke Norcom into selling her and her child. She soon became pregnant and was permitted to stay with her grandmother. Her master's reaction, however, was not expected. He was enraged with jealousy, but he did not sell her or her child. Soon after her first birth, she gave birth again to Sawyer's second child. Instead of selling Jacobs and her children, he planned to transfer the children into the fields of his plantation to do hard labor. Jacobs was very afraid for her children's well-being, so she decided to run away. However, she did not go far.
Jacobs received help from many friends. They concealed her from Norcom and spread rumors that she had fled to the North. Norcom was furious as he tried to find her by putting up posters and offering rewards. Not wanting to endanger her friends anymore than she already had, she went to her grandmother's house and hid in her attic. The attic was "nine feet long and seven feet wide" and only three feet high at one end. Sawyer bought his children and had them live with their grandmother; it was the same house that Jacobs was hiding in. She stayed in the small, cramped attic for seven years as she watched her children grow up in the house that was underneath her feet. She shared the crawlspace with many unwanted guests such as rats and insects.
Later, her children moved to the North to find new lives. Hearing this, Jacobs decided that it was time for her to leave her own life behind as well. In 1842, she traveled to New York City with the help of many friends. She was reunited with her children, and she started a new life and joined a group of anti-slavery feminists that included Amy Post. She became employed by Mary Willis as a nursemaid. Willis' husband was an editor, and she encouraged Jacobs' love of writing. In 1852, the Willis family bought Jacobs' freedom and she began writing her memoir, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, which was published in 1861. Her autobiography told the world about her hardships as a slave and how she overcame them. Unlike most other slave narratives, her focus of the narrative was her unflagging devotion to her family instead of her journey to freedom.
After Jacobs had earned her freedom and her book had been published, she focused on the Abolition Movement and helping fugitives. She helped rebuild lives of contrabands and freedmen during the Civil War as well. After the war, Jacobs and her daughter traveled to North and South Carolina to develop relief societies in hopes of helping to reconstruct the defeated South. She even went as far as London to help raise money and support for the cause.
For further reading on Harriet Jacobs' contributions to society, click here.
Later, her children moved to the North to find new lives. Hearing this, Jacobs decided that it was time for her to leave her own life behind as well. In 1842, she traveled to New York City with the help of many friends. She was reunited with her children, and she started a new life and joined a group of anti-slavery feminists that included Amy Post. She became employed by Mary Willis as a nursemaid. Willis' husband was an editor, and she encouraged Jacobs' love of writing. In 1852, the Willis family bought Jacobs' freedom and she began writing her memoir, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, which was published in 1861. Her autobiography told the world about her hardships as a slave and how she overcame them. Unlike most other slave narratives, her focus of the narrative was her unflagging devotion to her family instead of her journey to freedom.
After Jacobs had earned her freedom and her book had been published, she focused on the Abolition Movement and helping fugitives. She helped rebuild lives of contrabands and freedmen during the Civil War as well. After the war, Jacobs and her daughter traveled to North and South Carolina to develop relief societies in hopes of helping to reconstruct the defeated South. She even went as far as London to help raise money and support for the cause.
For further reading on Harriet Jacobs' contributions to society, click here.