Harriet Jacobs Facts & Worksheets

Harriet Jacobs was an African-American abolitionist and writer who was born enslaved in Edenton, North Carolina. Her autobiography entitled “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” under the pseudonym Linda Brent is considered a classic in American literature. It is one of the few enslaved narratives written by an African-American woman. From being a sexually harassed enslaved person, Harriet later became a spokesperson for abolitionism, a relief worker, and an educator.

See the fact file below for more information about Harriet Jacobs, or you can download our 25-page Harriet Jacobs worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

FAMILY BACKGROUND

• Harriet Jacobs was born in 1813 in the town of Edenton in North Carolina.
• Her mother, Delilah Horniblow, was enslaved by the Horniblow family, who were keepers of a tavern.
• Her father, Elijah Knox, was also enslaved.
• Like Harriet, her brother John was also enslaved at birth.
• By the power of baptism, Harriet assumed the last name, Jacobs.
• Jacobs was the last name of her paternal grandfather, who was a free white man.
• Harriet and John used the name Jacobs after having escaped from slavery.

EARLY LIFE IN SLAVERY

• When Harriet was six years old, her mother passed away.
• She then became owned by Margaret Horniblow, the daughter of the deceased tavern keeper.
• Harriet was taught to read, write, and sew at an early age. 
• It was in 1830 that North Carolina outlawed teaching enslaved people to read or write, but most enslaved people were still illiterate at the time Harriet learned such skills.
• Upon Margaret Horniblow’s death in 1825, Harriet was bequeathed to Margaret’s niece, Mary Norcom. 
• Because of Mary’s young age, Harriet was enslaved by Mary’s father, a town physician named Dr. James Norcom.
• Harriet suffered sexual harassment under her new enslaver.
• From 1825 to 1842, James Norcom repeatedly sexually harassed and abused Harriet.
• In desperation, Harriet formed a secret relationship with a white lawyer named Samuel Sawyer.
• By the time she turned 20, Harriet had two children, Joseph, and Louisa Matilda, with Samuel.
• Her children were baptized at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton.
• Since she constantly refused to be James Norcom’s concubine, Harriet was sent to work at a plantation.

SEVEN-YEAR CONCEALMENT

• After Norcom threatened to enslave her children, Harriet decided to escape in June of 1835.
• For the next seven years, Harriet hid in a crawl space above a porch in her grandmother’s house.
• The space was reportedly nine feet long and seven feet wide.
• She punctured small holes where light and air could pass in her dismal hiding place.
• There, even without much physical movement and exercise, Harriet spent time sewing and reading the Bible.
• Through a peephole, she was also able to keep watch over her children, who were then bought by their father; Norcom had unknowingly sold them to Samuel’s ally.
• According to Harriet’s wishes, Samuel sent the children to the same house where she lived.
• James Norcom issued a runaway notice for Jacobs and offered a $100 reward for her return.
• To confuse James about her whereabouts, Harriet occasionally wrote letters to him.
• Samuel was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1837 and married in 1838. 
• Samuel moved to Washington, D.C., without emancipating their children.
• He sent their daughter Louisa to work as a housemaid in Brooklyn, New York.

ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY

• In 1842, Harriet made her escape to the North by being smuggled by a boat captain.
• She sailed to Philadelphia, then took a train to New York City.
• Harriet reunited with Louisa and found a job as a nursemaid for the baby of writer Nathaniel Parker Willis in New York.
• Nathaniel Willis’ second wife, Cornelia, paid James Norcom’s son-in-law $300 for Harriet’s freedom.

ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT

• In 1849, Harriet moved to Rochester, New York, where she reunited and worked with her brother, John Jacobs, who was also a fugitive.
• They worked in an antislavery reading room above the office of Frederick Douglass’s newspaper, “The North Star”.
• In Rochester, Harriet and John became involved with the abolitionist movement in New York.
• Among the abolitionists they met was Amy Post, a Quaker reformer and feminist who became Harriet’s lifelong friend.
• Amy encouraged Harriet to write her life story and experiences while in enslavement to aid the antislavery cause.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

• Harriet struggled to find a publisher for her book because she wrote about topics that were considered taboo at the time.
• She corresponded with fellow abolitionist and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” author Harriet Beecher Stowe, hoping to enlist her help, but ultimately, Stowe refused.
• Finally, in 1861, with the help of editor, publisher, and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child, Harriet was able to publish her book entitled “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” under the pseudonym Linda Brent.
• In her book, Harriet wrote about the sexual abuse endured by enslaved women and the anguish experienced by their mothers.
• It opened up the discourse about such taboo matters.

LATER LIFE

• After U.S. President Lincoln was elected in November 1860, the American Civil War erupted.
• During the Civil War, Harriet nursed black troops.
• She also raised money for Black refugees and continued to help recently-freed people after the war.
• After the war, she was able to reunite with her children.
• Together with her daughter, Harriet traveled to the Union-occupied parts of the South, where she engaged in social work, particularly relief and healthcare provision.
• Aside from social work and relief efforts, she also devoted her life to teaching.
• Harriet founded the Jacobs Free School in January 1864, which started with 75 students.
• Louisa was placed in charge of the school.
• It was a school for Black students and newly-freed people to gain an education and learn from Black teachers.

DEATH AND LEGACY

• Harriet Jacobs took her last breath in 1897 in Washington, D.C.
• She was later buried next to her brother John in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Her book, which was forgotten in the wake of the Civil War, was rediscovered and reprinted by scholar Jean Fagan Yellin in 1973.
• “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” is now considered a classic read in American literature and is commonly taught in school like other famous enslaved narratives, such as the 1845 memoir “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” and “Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom,” by William and Ellen Craft.

Harriet Jacobs Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Harriet Jacobs across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Harriet Jacobs. Harriet Jacobs was an African-American abolitionist and writer who was born enslaved in Edenton, North Carolina.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Harriet Jacobs Facts
2. Enslaved Turned Abolitionist
3. Important Vocabulary
4. Life Events in Order
5. Slave Narrative Excerpts
6. What Would Harriet Do?
7. Relevant People
8. Notable Abolitionists
9. Civil War News
10. In A Nutshell
11. Remembering Harriet

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Harriet Jacobs?

Harriet Jacobs, born in 1813, was an African American woman who escaped from slavery and became a prominent abolitionist and writer. She is best known for her autobiography, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Brent.

Why is Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography significant?

Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography is significant because it provides a firsthand account of the horrors of slavery, particularly from a female perspective. It details her struggles, including her escape from an abusive owner and her seven years of hiding in a small attic.

How did Harriet Jacobs escape from slavery?

Harriet Jacobs escaped from slavery by hiding in a small crawl space in her grandmother’s attic for seven years. She did this to avoid being sexually exploited by her owner, Dr. James Norcom. During her time in hiding, she occasionally observed her children from her concealed vantage point.

What advocacy work did Harriet Jacobs engage in after gaining her freedom?

After gaining her freedom in 1842, Harriet Jacobs became an active abolitionist and advocate for women’s rights. She worked with prominent abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass and published her narrative to raise awareness about the injustices of slavery and the sexual abuse endured by enslaved women.

What impact did Harriet Jacobs have on the abolitionist and women’s rights movements?

Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography and her advocacy played a significant role in raising awareness about the specific hardships faced by enslaved women, including sexual exploitation. Her work contributed to the broader abolitionist movement and added a powerful voice to the fight for women’s rights in the 19th century. Her writings and experiences continue to be studied and celebrated for their contribution to African American literature and the history of social justice in the United States.

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