1. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Harriet Jacobs ( )
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

2. About the author 1813 born in North Carolina
Mother was a black slave and father a white slave
1825 sold to Dr. James Norcom
Had two children with Samuel Sawyer, a white lawyer.
1834 escaped to Philadelphia

3. Position in society Mulatto Enslaved women Mother Fugitive slave
Abolitionist
Writer
(Linda Brent)

4. Slavery and the treatment of slaves
Major Issues
Slavery and the treatment of slaves
Civil War began in 1861

5. About the book Only book length slave narrative written by a woman
Went against traditional 19th century values
One of the first open discussions about sexual harassment and abuse endured by slave women

6. Main Points
Slavery was an evil that contaminated many Southern families, making them and their society in many ways dysfunctional.
Slaves were their master’s property
The mistress was jealous and had rage towards the helpless victim
Being beautiful was a curse
Southern women often married men knowing they had fathered slave children

7. Questions for thought
Would this book have had the same impact if written by the mistress?
How could a mistress retaliate against her husband?