Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Book by Harriet Jacobs
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EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General) North American (US West Coast - California, Portland)Transcript
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From incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriet Jacobs chapter one childhood, I was born a slave, but I never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away. My father was a carpenter and considered so intelligent and skillful in his trade that when buildings out of the common line were to be erected, he was sent for from long distances to behead workmen on condition of paying his mistress $200 a year and supporting himself. He was allowed to work at his trade and manage his own affairs. His strongest wish was to purchase his Children. But though he several times offered his hard earnings for that purpose, he never succeeded in complexion. My parents were a light shade of brownish yellow and were termed Matos. They lived together in a comfortable home. And though we were all slaves, I was so fondly shielded that I never dreamed that was a piece of merchandise, trusted to them for safekeeping and liable to be demanded of them. In any moment. I had one brother, William who was two years younger than myself, a bright affectionate child. I had also a great treasure in my maternal grandmother, who was a remarkable woman in many respects. She was the daughter of a planter in South Carolina who at his death left her mother and his three Children free with money to go to Saint Augustine where they had relatives. It was during the revolutionary war and they were captured on their passage, carried back and sold to different purchasers. Such was the story my grandmother used to tell me but I do not remember all the particulars. She was a little girl when she was captured and sold to the keeper of a large hotel. I have often heard her tell how hard she fared during childhood. But as she grew older, she invented so much intelligence and was so faithful that her master and mistress could not help seeing it was for their interest to take care of such a valuable piece of property. She became an indispensable personage in the household, officiating in all capacities from cook and wet nurse to seamstress. She was much praised for her cooking and her nice crackers became so famous in the neighborhood that many people were desirous of obtaining them. In consequence of numerous requests of this kind, she asked permission of her mistress to bake crackers at night. After all the household work was done and she obtained leave to do it provided she would clothe herself and her Children from the profits upon these terms. After working hard all day for her mistress she began her midnight baking, assisted by her two oldest Children. The business proved profitable and each year she laid by a little which was saved for a fund to purchase her Children. Her master died and the property was divided among his heirs. The widow had her dower in the hotel which she continued to keep open. My grandmother remained in her service as a slave but her Children were divided among her master's Children as she had five, Benjamin, the youngest one was sold in order that each hair might have an equal portion of dollars and cents. There was so little difference in our ages that he seemed more like my brother than my uncle. He was a bright handsome lad, nearly white for he inherited the complexion. My grandmother had derived from anglo-saxon ancestors though only 10 years old, $720 were paid for him. His sale was a terrible blow to my grandmother, but she was naturally hopeful and she went to work with renewed energy, trusting in time to be able to purchase some of her Children. She had laid up $300 which her mistress one day begged as a loan promising to pay her soon. The reader probably knows that no promise or writing given to a slave is legally binding for according to Southern laws, a slave being property can hold no property. When my grandmother lent her hard earnings to her mistress, she trusted solely to her honor the honor of a slave holder to a slave.