Jacobs, Harriet: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Douglass, Frederick: The Heroic Slave

Douglass, Frederick: My Bondage and My Freedom

Douglass, Frederick: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

African-American writing is directly and indirectly intertwined with the legacy of American slavery. From early efforts by colonial blacks to the powerful slave narratives that helped bring down slavery, the condition of bondage is an inextricable aspect of black literature. While slavery is a part of the beginnings of African-American literature, this literature in turn helped bring slavery’s end.

The real-life experience of slavery is also preserved in autobiographies, or slave narratives. "These books added momentum to the abolitionist movement, and the build-up to the Civil War," according to noted University of Minnesota historian John Wright. "Literature, and the writings of fugitive slaves and ex-slaves become an important part of the rising sectional battle over slavery and its place in American life. And that context brought a flood of African-American writing to the attention of the American public. And slave narratives, literally by the hundreds, were produced between the early 1830s and the Civil War in the 1860s."

Harriet Jacobs' 1861 slave narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl  is an engaging and honest account of a young woman navigating the daunting daily life of women in slavery. The narrative honestly deals with the most sinister aspect of slavery -- rape.

Harriet Jacobs dramatic reading

Jacobs included this oppressive aspect of slavery in her narrative at a time when even abolitionists thought it inappropriate. But according to Mary Easter (Carlton College), "When the veil is not drawn over these events the narrative become very important documents of actual people."

The most artful and engaging slave narratives are written by Frederick Douglass. Douglass emerged from slavery to become one of the great Americans of the 19th century. His literature and speeches are eloquent and effective records of slavery and the efforts to end it. Douglass’ life in slavery and as a free man and leader are detailed in his autobiographies.

In the first of three autobiographies, Narrative of Frederick Douglass, Douglass vividly recalls how, as a youth, he was inspired and intrigued when he overheard his master’s wife Sophia Auld, reading the bible.

Mrs. Auld began instructing young Douglass. But when Douglass’ master, Hugh Auld, discovered his wife teaching the young slave to read, he admonished her. Through Auld’s stern warning his wife learned that literacy had the potential to shake the foundations of the slave system. But she wasn’t alone. For young Frederick Douglass, his master’s warning about slaves and literacy was an instance of enlightenment.

Frederick Douglass dramatic reading

Reading fueled Douglass' flight to freedom. Once in the North, his writing became a great weapon against the system of slavery. Frederick Douglass became one of the best known Americans of the nineteenth century. He was a writer, newspaper editor, orator, American Ambassador and Presidential advisor. But all of this began when, as a boy, he overheard his master’s wife reading the Bible. It was a moment that sparked his desire to learn to learn how to read.