Tales Of Dreams Deferred The Voices Of Slavery - excerpt from the book by William L. Andrews and Henry Louis Gates, Jr - Brief Article - Excerpt

Slave narratives, which date back to the 18th hundred form the foundation of the African-American autobiographical tradition. Slave Narratives (Library of America, 2000) by the agency of William L. Andrews and Henry Louis Gates Jr.--a collection of 10 life stories by dint of men and women who pushed themselves to the limits of their nerve courage and ingenuity--provides great insight into slavery's deepnesss of degradation. It teaches us more about well-known advocates of antislavery with whom we all are familiar (such as Frederick Douglass, Nat gymnast and Sojourner Truth) and introduces us to the voices of tribe who have remained in the background, staging their be in possession of revolutions. In the following citation taken from Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Seven Years Concealed, Harriet Jacobs (1813-97) relates in what manner she came to realize her apportionment in life.

I was born a slave; on the other hand I never knew it till six years of happy childhood had passed away. My father was a carpenter, and considered with equal reason intelligent and skilful in his trade, that, when buildings on the outside of common line were to be set uprighted he was sent for from lengthy distances, to be head workman. upon condition of paying his mistress sum of two units hundred dollars a year, and supporting himself, he was allowed to work at his trade, and manage his possess affairs. His strongest wish was to purchase his children; on the contrary though he several times proffered his hard earnings for that design he never succeeded. In complexion my parents were a light shade of brownish golden and were termed mulattoes. They lived together in a comfortable home; and, notwithstanding that we were all slaves, I was with equal reason fondly shielded that I at no time dreamed I was a piece of merchandise, trusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be demanded of them at any instant I had one brother, William, who was sum of two units years younger than myself--a bright, affectionate child. I had also a great treasure in my maternal grandmother, who was a remarkable woman in many think highly ofs She was the daughter of a planter in southerly Carolina, who, at his death, left her mother and his three children unrestrained with money to go to St Augustine, where they had relatives. It was during the Revolutionary War; and they were captured upon their passage, carried back, and sold to different purchasers.

similar was the story my grandmother used to compute me; but I do not remember all the particulars. She was a little girl when she was captured and sold to the keeper of a large public-house I have often heard her take an account of how hard she fared during childhood. on the contrary as she grew older she evinced with equal reason much intelligence, and was for a like reason faithful, that her master and mistress could not help seeing it was for their interest to take care of similar a valuable piece of characteristic She became an indispensable personage in the household, officiating in all capacities, from prepare for the table and wet nurse to seamstress. She was plenteous praised for her cooking; and her nice crackers became for a like reason famous in the neighborhood that many clan were desirous of obtaining them. In result of numerous requests of this kind, she asked permission of her mistress to bake crackers at night, after all the household work was done; and she obtained leave to do it, provided she would clothe herself and her children from the profits. on these terms, after working hard all day for her mistress, she began her midnight bakings, assisted through her two oldest children. The business prov profitable; and each year she laid by the agency of a little, which was saved for a capital to purchase her children. Her master died, and the characteristic was divided among his heirs. The widow had her dower in the tavern which she continued to hold fast open. My grandmother remained in her service as a slave; on the contrary her children were divided among her master's children. As she had five, Benjamin, the youngest single was sold, in order that each heir might have an equal portion of dollars and cent There was with equal reason little difference in our ages that he appeared more like my brother than my uncle He was a bright, handsome lad, nearly white; for he inherited the complexion my grandmother had derived from Anglo-Saxon ancestors. granting only ten years old, seven hundr and twenty dollars were paid for him. His sale was a terrible thump to my grandmother; but she was naturally hopeful and she went to work with renewed activity trusting in time to be able to purchase more [i]or[/i] less of her children. She had laid up three hundr dollars, which her mistress single day begged as a loan, promising to pay her pretty soon The reader probably knows that no promise or writing given to a slave is legally binding; for, according to Southern laws, a slave, being characteristic can hold no property. When my grandmother lent her hard earnings to her mistress, she trusted solely to her honor. The honor of a slave-holder to a slave!

To this beneficial grandmother I was indebted for many comforts. My brother Willie and I frequently received portions of the crackers, cakes, and defends she made to sell; and after we ceased to be children we were indebted to her for many more important services.