Kelly C.

Nolan Aas 325/ History 307 November 24, 2012

Harriet Jacobs

The history o A ri!an Ameri!ans be ore 1"#5 has been the s$b%e!t o many boo&s, 'ritin(s an) resear!h !overin( many as*e!ts over the years. +$rin( o$r !o$rse st$)ies 'e learne) abo$t those e,*erien!es thro$(h histori!al )o!$ments s$!h as slave narratives, *oems an) other 'ritin(s be(innin( in -estern A ri!a an) en)in( 'ith start o the Civil -ar. The )o!$ments are mainly o!$se) on the terrible treatment o men 'ith only a limite) vie' o 'hat 'ere s$ ere) by 'omen )$rin( this era. Harriet .a!obs 'as one o many A ri!an Ameri!an 'omen 'ho 'rote slave narratives 'ith her story *$blishe) in the 1"#1 at the time the !ivil 'ar bro&e o$t. Ho'ever, she )es!ribes another ty*e o e,*erien!e, one o horrible se,$al e,*loitation, hi)in( in *lain si(ht an) ho' it a e!te) every as*e!t o her li e rom %$st bein( a h$man to bein( a mother. The narratives an) stories 'e have rea) are )ominate) by those 'ritten by A ri!an Ameri!an males an) ten)e) to loo& at slavery thro$(h their eyes an) o!$se) on har) labo$r an) *hysi!al ab$se. /ale narratives o ten )es!ribe) their harsh treatment, 'hi**in(s, horri) 'or& an) livin( !on)itions. /ale narratives o ten *oint to their $t$re bein( *ave) thro$(h e)$!ation 'hi!h they elt )enie) by 'hites. 0n narratives by 'omen, they 'ere o!$se) on their ab$sive treatment an) 'or&in( !on)itions, se,$al e,*loitation an) amily relationshi*s. 0n o$r !o$rse boo& The African-American Odyssey, the a$thors brie ly )es!ribe ra*e an) se,$al e,*loitation
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as an a!!e*te) an) ro$tine *ra!ti!e %$sti ie) be!a$se it 'as believe) that 1bla!& 'omen 'ere nat$rally *romis!$o$s an) se)$!e) 'hite men2 3Hine an) Harol) 1574. Ho'ever, the emale *ers*e!tives are an im*ortant as*e!t o this era an) nee) to be learne) as they )es!ribe the terrible se,$al, *hysi!al an) emotional s$ erin( as 'omen trie) to raise !hil)ren an) &ee* them amilies to(ether. 0n 1"#1, in her narrative the 1Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl2, Harriet .a!obs )es!ribes her li e as a emale slave, her es!a*e an) ho' she ho*e) her story 'o$l) hel* Ameri!a see the ab$se ha**enin( to 'omen. 5$blishe) $n)er the *se$)onym 6in)a 7rent, her story )e ines her *hysi!al an) emotional s$ erin( 'hi!h 'as har) to believe, b$t a!!e*te) as a tr$e re*resentation o 'omen in slavery. .a!obs be(ins by tellin( the rea)er she 'as born into slavery an) 'as initially treate) 'ell in her early years an) even learne) to rea) an) 'rite rom her mistress. Ho'ever, 'hen the mistress )ie) she 'as sent to ne' o'ners 'ho se,$ally an) *hysi!ally ab$se) her as i she 'as not a h$man bein(, b$t a *ersonal *rostit$te an) *ro*erty. Her ab$se 'as !onstant an) she says o it, 1He tol) me 0 'as his *ro*erty8 that 0 m$st be s$b%e!t to his 'ill in all thin(s. /y so$l revolte) a(ainst the mean tyranny. 7$t 'here !o$l) 0 t$rn or *rote!tion92 3.a!obs #14. .a!obs reveals to the rea)er that she be(ins a se,$al relationshi* 'ith another 'hite man 'ho 'as a nei(hbor in ho*es her o'ner 'o$l) leave her alone. :he even ha) t'o !hil)ren by the nei(hbor as she ho*e) it 'o$l) allo' her to be treate) better. Her *lan ba!& ire) an) the o'ner 'as $rio$s an) sent her o to his arm to )o har) *hysi!al labor an) threatene) that he 'o$l) ab$se her !hil)ren as 'ell. Her resolve to over!ome the *hysi!al, mental an) se,$al ab$se 'as st$nnin( as she note), 1The 'ar o my li e ha) be($n8 an) tho$(h one o ;o)<s most *o'erless !reat$res, 0 resolve) never to be !on=$ere).2 3.a!obs 4#4. >ven

tho$(h she !o$l) rea) an) 'rite, .a!obs )es!ribe) that it 'ere her relationshi*s 'ith her amily members most im*ortant in her attem*t to s$rvive. A ter years o bein( tormente) by the se,$al ab$se she es!a*e) rom her o'ner an) or seven years she hi) in the atti! o her (ran)mother?s home on the arm so she !o$l) see her !hil)ren. :he 'as no' a $(itive slave an) her o'ner resolve) to in) her. As she hi) in the atti! or those seven lon( years her )es!ri*tion o 'hat she en)$re) 'as heart 'ren!hin(. :he sai) 10 s$ ere) or air even more than or li(ht. 7$t 0 'as not !om ortless. 0 hear) the voi!es o my !hil)ren. There 'as %oy, an) there 'as sa)ness in the so$n). 0t ma)e my tears lo'. Ho' 0 lon(e) to s*ea& to them@2 3.a!obs 734. Her *hysi!ally )ama(e) bo)y rom hi)in( in a !ram*e) atti! is *art o the tra(e)y as she 'as 'illin( to (o to s$!h len(ths to be near her !hil)ren an) try to 'at!h over them. :he inally )e!i)es to es!a*e to the north an) leaves her !hil)ren behin) in ho*es o (ettin( settle) an) then (ettin( them north as 'ell. :he in)s 'or& an) str$((les 'ith her *hysi!al *roblems b$t 'or&s 'ith abolitionists as she sees that aven$e as one 'ay to hel* ree others. To'ar)s the en) o her story she loo&s ba!& $*on the terrible mental an($ish rom bein( se,$ally e,*loite) an) says 10 !annot tell ho' m$!h 0 s$ ere) in the *resen!e o these 'ron(s, nor ho' 0 am still *aine) by the retros*e!t2 3Hine an) Harol), 15#4. 0t is her *ersonal

story that ma)e it so 'ell rea) as the horrible *hysi!al an) se,$al ab$se 'hi!h many rea)ers tho$(ht $nbelievable &e*t them (l$e) to the boo&. .a!ob?s e,*li!it story abo$t ab$se 'as very )i erent rom other narratives an) stories *$blishe) be ore her. 0n 1"54 Are)eri!& +o$(lass in his 'ritin( the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Do !las" An American Slave, tells the story abo$t his treatment an) es!a*e as a slave at the a(e o t'enty. His 'ritin( 'as 'ell re!eive) )$rin( a time 'hen abolitionists 'ere %$st be(innin( to (ain hol) in the north an) he (aine) notoriety by tellin( his story. The si(ni i!an!e
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o his narrative 'as his )es!ri*tion that 'hite slave o'ners 'ante) to &ee* A ri!an Ameri!ans $ne)$!ate) to &ee* !ontrol o them as *ro*erty. +o$(lass !entere) his 'ritin( on ho' e)$!ation 'as the &ey or slaves to *arti!i*ate in Ameri!an so!iety an) ho' it 'o$l) lea) to their be!omin( sel Bs$ i!ient. +o$(lass sai) o e)$!ation, 1Arom that moment 0 $n)erstoo) the *ath'ay rom slavery to ree)om. C Tho$(h !ons!io$s o the )i i!$lty o learnin( 'itho$t a tea!her, 0 set o$t 'ith hi(h ho*e, an) a i,e) *$r*ose, at 'hatever !ost o tro$ble, to learn ho' to rea)2 3+o$(lass, 5"4. His narrative is very )i erent rom .a!obs as he *rovi)es the iss$es or slave ree)om in terms o e)$!ation an) *arti!i*ation as a man an) not in terms o amily, *ersonal relationshi*s or the mistreatment o 'omen. Narratives an) stories abo$t the A ri!an Ameri!an e,*erien!e 'ere also 'ritten by s$!h notables as :olomon Northr$* an) 7en%amin 7anne&er. Northr$* 'as a bla!& man rom Ne' Dor& 'ho 'as born an) ha) (ro'n $* ree man, o'ne) a arm, an) ha) a amily. 0n his 1532 narrative he )es!ribes bein( !onne) by t'o 'hite man to !ome to -ashin(ton or a better %ob 'ho then )r$((e) an) event$ally 1shi**e) him to Ne' Erleans 'here he 'as sol)2 3Hine F Harol), 1434. He )es!ribes the t'elve years he 'or&e) or several slave masters 'ho beat him 'hile he toile) tirelessly on their arms, !ane iel)s an) timber lan)s. Northr$* 'as l$!&y, as the 1:tate o Ne' Dor& ha) *asse) a la'2 in 1"40 to (et ba!& A ri!an Ameri!an resi)ents 'ho 'ere &i)na**e) an) sol) 3Northr$* 114. He relates in his story that the man 'ho bo$(ht him 'as $rio$s 'hen he 'as ree) an) Northr$* sai) o him8 GHe tho$(ht o nothin( b$t his loss, an) !$rse) me or havin( been born ree2 3Northr$*, 1"44. His e,*erien!e 'as also )i erent as his )es!ribe) slavery rom the *ers*e!tive o someone 'ho (re' $* as a ree man, 'as or!e) into slavery an) 'ho re(aine) his ree)om )$e to la's *asse) to bene it ree bla!& men.

7en%amin 7anne&er 'as born a ree A ri!an Ameri!an in 1731 in 7altimore an) (re' $* to be!ome a s!ientist an) s$rveyor. -ith no s!hool relate) e)$!ation he e)$!ate) himsel an) 'as able to be!ome a res*e!te) man 'ho 'or&e) in s$!h areas as s$rveyin(. His e,*erien!e in the mi) an) late 1700?s 'as (reatly )i erent as he 'as a ree man 'ho be!ame e)$!ate) an) 'rote abo$t ra!ial e=$ality an) slavery 'ith little abo$t the *li(ht o 'omen. He (aine) his val$able e)$!ation an) learnin( in his early years 'hile 'or&in( 'ith a H$a&er amily 'ho hel*e) him. 0n 17I1, 7anne&er 'rote a letter to :e!retary o :tate Thomas .e erson )es!ribin( it 'as 1a time 'hen yo$ !learly sa' into the in%$sti!e o a state o slaveryC an) yo$ 'rote, -e hol) these tr$ths to be sel Bevi)ent, that all men are !reate) e=$al2. 7anne&er *lea)e) 'ith .e erson to $*hol) his Christian val$es relate) to the in%$sti!es that A ri!an Ameri!ans s$ ere) an) he sho$l) s$**ort the 'or)s he 'rote in the +e!laration o 0n)e*en)en!e. The e,*erien!es o A ri!an Ameri!ans varie) b$t 'ere !entere) on slavery an) its horrible e e!ts on their lives. As 'e have learne) )$rin( o$r !o$rse'or& A ri!an Ameri!ans 'ere or!e) to *arti!i*ate in slavery an) servit$)e rom its be(innin(s in -estern A ri!a 'ith no say so abo$t their lives or ar too lon( a *erio). The stories by +o$(lass, Northr$* an) 7anne&er are all tol) rom the male *ers*e!tive 'hi!h )ominate) the literary iel) in the 1700?s an) 1"00?s an) reveal little abo$t the tr$e nat$re o 'hat emale slaves en)$re). Harriet .a!obs tr$ly harro'in( story *rovi)es the vie' rom the emale slave *ers*e!tive an) she )es!ribes the horrible se,$al ab$se she en)$re) 'hi!h 'as li&ely 'hat others en!o$ntere). Her narrative is im*ortant rom the 'omen?s *oint o vie' as more o ten in history 'omen have been *ortraye) as 'ea& an) nee)y, ho'ever .a!obs 'ritin( o*ene) *eo*le?s eyes to se,$al ab$se an) the stren(th it too& to s$rvive. .a!obs s$mme) $* her e,*erien!e as she sai), 1slavery is terrible or menJ b$t it is ar more terrible or 'omen2 3.a!obs 134.
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Works Cited

7anne&er, 7en%amin. A Letter From #en$amin #anneker to Secretary of State Thomas %efferson& A$($st 1I, 17I1. Kniversity o Lir(inia, :*e!ial Colle!tions. +o$(lass, Are)eri!&. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Do !lass" an American Slave" 'ritten (y )imself. Norton Antholo!y of American Literat re& Shorter Fo rth *dition. Ne' Dor&J -.-. Norton, 1II5. ""5BI1# Hine, +arlene Clar&., -illiam C. Hine, an) :tanley Harrol). The African-American Odyssey. K**er :a))le Miver, N.J 5renti!e Hall, 2000. 5rint. .a!obs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl& 'ritten (y )erself& 7oston. 5$blishe) or the A$thor, 1"#1. 5rint :hannon, Timothy an) 7issel, Li!toria, e)s., Goin! to the So rce+ The #edford ,eader in American )istory& -ol me .+ to ./002. Slave Narratives from the Ante(ell m So th. 7ostonJ 7e or)/:t. /artin?s, 2012. 200B222 5rint Kniversity o North Carolina. Solomon North 1" T2elve 3ears a Slave& 7/1I/2012. -eb. 10 November 2012. Nhtt*J//)o!so$th.$n!.e)$/ *n/north$*/north$*.htmlO Dale Kniversity, ;il)er 6ehrman Center or the :t$)y o :lavery, Mesistan!e an) Abolition. Harriet .a!obsJ :ele!te) -ritin(s an) Corres*on)en!e. htt*J//'eb*a(e.*a!e.e)$/&!$l&in/in)e,.html