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Published byKelley Rich Modified over 9 years ago
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Harriet Jacobs 1813 ? - 1897
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Harriet Jacobs Born into slavery in North Carolina Orphaned at the age of 16 Taken into the home of her owner and trained as a house servant This is where Jacobs learned to read and write (normally forbidden to slaves) When her owner died, she was “willed” to her mistress’s niece and sent to live with Dr. James Norcom As a teen, she was subjected to harassment by Norcom He was furious at her refusals of his advances, and sent her away to do hard labor as a plantation slave. He also threatened to do the same to her children. She escaped from the plantation and found shelter with sympathetic family and friends (both black and white).
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Harriet Jacobs Found the safest place at her grandmothers – a tiny crawl space above a store room Hid there for 7 yrs. Reading (mostly the Bible), writing, sewing, and watching her children In 1842, she escaped to NYC – worked as a nursemaid and reunited with her children eventually Spent the next 10 yrs. as a fugitive Gained her freedom in 1852 Began writing the story of her life in 1853, published it herself in 1861 using the pen name Linda Brent After the publication, she became an active abolitionist, working during the Civil War to relieve poverty and suffering of former slaves Distributed clothing and supplies, raised money, and helped to establish schools and orphanages in Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., Alexandria, and Savannah
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