Writing for Women
February 11, 1813-March 7, 1897
Do you think you could write a book about your life?
How would you describe your family or school day? What information would you include about the world? Is there anything you could share to teach others about where you live? The information you chose to share might even inspire people to make a better world. Harriet Jacobs was a North Carolina native. Her life story to inspire people to fight to end slavery.
Jacobs was born into slavery in Edenton, North Carolina in 1813. She escaped to freedom when she made it to the North when she was 29 years old. Over the new few years, she lived around Philadelphia before settling in New York. In New York, Jacobs worked as a nurse and became involved in the abolitionist movement. Friends encouraged her to write her story to help bring more attention to their cause. She published her autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, in 1861. It was the first narrative released by an enslaved woman. Jacobs highlights the unique horrors women faced as slaves. The author’s life story inspired people in the United States and abroad to end slavery and racism. She dedicated the rest of her life fighting oppression.
What issues would you want to bring attention to in a book about your life? What actions would you want to inspire people to take?