Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Written By Herself

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A rebound American first edition of Harriet A. Jacob’s “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Written by Herself.” The book’s front and back cover has a marbled design of beige, black, and white. The spine binding is black leather with gilt lettering [Incidents / Slave Girl / Harriet Jacobs / 1861] and five raised bands. The book begins with a preface by the author signed in letterpress "Linda Brent," the pseudonym of Harriet Jacobs. Jacobs provides a vivid account of being an enslaved woman, from girlhood to adulthood, including the constant exposure to sexual predators and risk of sexual assault, the heartache and joys of motherhood, and the desperation for freedom. The second blank interior page has an inscription that indicates the book belonged to a Mrs. G.W. Groson (illegible). The book is 306 pages.

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