Harriet Jacobs

After nearly seven years hiding in a tiny garret above her grandmother’s home, Harriet Ann Jacobs took a step other slaves dared to dream in 1842; she secretly boarded a boat in Edenton, N.C., bound for Philadelphia, New York and, eventually, freedom. The young slave woman’s flight, and the events leading up to it, are documented in heart-wrenching detail in her autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, self-published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Brent.

A significant personal history by an African American woman, Harriet Jacobs’ story is as remarkable as the writer who tells it. During a time when it was unusual for slaves to read and write, self-publishing a first-hand account of slavery’s atrocities was extraordinary.

Visitors to Edenton can learn more about Harriet Jacobs’ early years when they stop by the Historic Edenton State Historic Site Visitor Center. An exhibit about Harriet Jacobs features photographs and illustrations of the people and places associated with her life.

For more information about Harriet Jacobs visit: http://www.harrietjacobs.org/