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Solomon Northup and Harriet Jacobs on the Experiences of Enslaved Women in the Antebellum South

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Solomon Northup and Harriet Jacobs on the Experiences of Enslaved Women in the Antebellum South 1 Solomon Northup and Harriet Jacobs on the Experiences of Enslaved Women in the Antebellum South Questions to think about: 1. From Solomon Northup, Twelve Years as a Slave (1853).1 Solomon 1. In what ways did the experiences of male and female slaves differ? Northup was born a free man in New York in 1808. In 1841, while on a trip to 2. Which parts of the autobiographies of Northup and Jacobs do you think Washington DC, he was kidnapped by slave traders and sold into slavery in would have most affected white readers and why? Louisiana. He eventually regained his freedom and wrote an autobiography. a. (Note that the target audience for many slave narratives was After being kidnapped Northup was initially taken to a slave-yard in Washington white women.) DC where he was savagely whipped by James Burch, a slave-dealer. Burch 3. Describe the relationship between female slaves and the wives of their whipped Northup until the latter ceased to insist that he was a free man. As masters. Northup was recovering he recalled: 4. Under slavery, African American men and women existed within a culture of fear. Using these sources, describe how slave owners created …The night previous to my departure a woman was brought in, weeping and used this culture of fear to control slaves. bitterly, and leading by the hand a little child. They were Randall's mother and 5. Do you think Jacobs saw herself as a victim? Why or why not? Do you half-sister.2 On meeting them he was overjoyed, clinging to her dress, kissing the think Patsey saw herself as a victim? Why or why not? child, and exhibiting every demonstration of delight. The mother also clasped 6. Why is Dr. Flint wary of Harriet Jacobs’ grandmother? him in her arms, embraced him tenderly, and gazed at him fondly through her tears, calling him by many an endearing name. Emily, the child, was seven or eight years old, of light complexion, and with a face of admirable beauty. Her hair fell in curls around her neck, while the style and richness of her dress, and the neatness of her whole appearance indicated she had been brought up in the midst of wealth. She was a sweet child indeed. The woman also was arrayed in silk, with rings upon her fingers, and golden ornaments suspended from her ears. Her air and manners, the correctness and propriety of her language—all showed evidently, that she had sometime 1 As printed on the site Documenting the American South (sponsored by the University Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill): http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/northup/northup.html. 2 Randall was a boy who was being held with Northup. HIST 150 Dr. Schaffer 2 stood above the common level of a slave. She seemed to be amazed at finding The day she was led into the pen, Brooks had brought her from the herself in such a place as that. It was plainly a sudden and unexpected turn of estate into the city, under pretence that the time had come when her free papers fortune that had brought her there. Filling the air with her complaining she was were to be executed, in fulfillment of her master's promise. Elated at the prospect hustled, with the children and myself, into the cell. Language can convey but an of immediate liberty, she decked herself and little Emmy in their best apparel, inadequate impression of the lamentations to which she gave incessant utterance. and accompanied him with a joyful heart. On their arrival in the city, instead of Throwing herself upon the floor, and encircling the children in her arms, she being baptized into the family of freemen, she was delivered to the trader Burch. poured forth such touching words as only maternal love and kindness can The paper that was executed was a bill of sale. The hope of years was blasted in suggest. …It was enough to melt heart of stone to listen to the pitiful expressions a moment. From the height of most exulting happiness to the utmost depths of of that desolate and distracted mother. Her name was Eliza; and this was the wretchedness, she had that day descended. No wonder that she wept, and filled story of her life, as she afterwards related it: the pen with wailings and expressions of heart-rending woe… She was the slave of a rich man,3 living in the neighborhood of Washington. She was born, I think she said, on his plantation. Years before, he had fallen into dissipated habits, and quarreled with his wife. In fact, soon after Northup, Eliza, Randall and Emily, along with others, were sent by Burch to the birth of Randall, they separated. Leaving his wife and daughter in the house New Orleans, to be sold by his partner Theophilus Freeman: they had always occupied, he erected a new one nearby, on the estate. Into this The very amiable, pious-hearted Mr. Theophilus Freeman, partner or house he brought Eliza; and, on condition of her living with him, she and her consignee of James H. Burch, and keeper of the slave pen in New-Orleans, was children were to be emancipated. She resided with him there nine years, with out among his animals early in the morning. With an occasional kick of the older servants to attend upon her, and provided with every comfort and luxury of life. men and women, and many a sharp crack of the whip about the ears of the Emily was his child!4 Finally, her young mistress, who had always remained younger slaves, it was not long before they were all astir, and wide awake. Mr. with her mother at the homestead, married a Mr. Jacob Brooks.5 At length, for Theophilus Freeman bustled about in a very industrious manner, getting his some cause, (as I gathered from her relation,) beyond Berry's control, a division property ready for the sales-room, intending, no doubt, to do that day a rousing of his property was made. She and her children fell to the share of Mr. Brooks. business. During the nine years she had lived with Berry, in consequence of the position she was compelled to occupy, she and Emily had become the object of Mrs. In the first place we were required to wash thoroughly, and those with Berry and her daughter's hatred and dislike. Berry himself she represented as a beards, to shave. We were then furnished with a new suit each, cheap, but clean. man of naturally a kind heart, who always promised her that she should have her The men had hat, coat, shirt, pants and shoes; the women frocks of calico, and freedom, and who, she had no doubt, would warrant it to her then, if it were only handkerchiefs to bind about their heads. We were now conducted into a large in his power. As soon as they thus came into the possession and control of the room in the front part of the building to which the yard was attached, in order to daughter, it became very manifest they would not live long together. The sight of be properly trained, before the admission of customers. The men were arranged Eliza seemed to be odious to Mrs. Brooks; neither could she bear to look upon on one side of the room, the women on the other. The tallest was placed at the the child, half-sister, and beautiful as she was! head of the row, then the next tallest, and so on in the order of their respective heights. Emily was at the foot of the line of women. Freeman charged us to remember our places; exhorted us to appear smart and lively, —sometimes 3 Named Mr. Berry. threatening, and again, holding out various inducements. During the day he 4 (Randall was not Berry’s son.) 5 That is, Berry’s daughter by his (white) wife married a man named Jacob Brooks. HIST 150 Dr. Schaffer 3 exercised us in the art of "looking smart," and of moving to our places with exact tears, but it was all in vain. She wanted to be with her children, she said, the little precision… time she had to live. All the frowns and threats of Freeman, could not wholly silence the afflicted mother. She kept on begging and beseeching them, most Next day many customers called to examine Freeman's "new lot." piteously not to separate the three. Over and over again she told them how she …[One] gentleman was very loquacious, dwelling at much length upon our loved her boy. A great many times she repeated her former promises—how very several good points and qualities. He would make us hold up our heads, walk faithful and obedient she would be; how hard she would labor day and night, to briskly back and forth, while customers would feel of our hands and arms and the last moment of her life, if he would only buy them all together. But it was of bodies, turn us about, ask us what we could do, make us open our mouths and no avail; the man could not afford it. The bargain was agreed upon, and Randall show our teeth, precisely as a jockey examines a horse which he is about to must go alone. Then Eliza ran to him; embraced him passionately; kissed him barter for or purchase. Sometimes a man or woman was taken back to the small again and again; told him to remember her— all the while her tears falling in the house in the yard, stripped, and inspected more minutely.
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