Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

The memoir recounts Harriet Jacobs's harrowing experiences as a slave in North Carolina, culminating in her escape and emancipation. Written between 1853 and 1858, it highlights the unique horrors faced by female slaves, including institutionalized rape and reproductive violence. Jacobs’s narrative is a pioneering feminist work that reveals the intersection of race and gender, positioning black women's experiences at the forefront of the slavery discourse. This 1861 publication is a vital contribution to African-American literature and historiography, emphasizing the specific struggles of black women under slavery.