The Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl, a Great Demonstration of Intersectional Feminism

The Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl is an autobiography written by Harriet Jacobs depicting her life in slavery as a woman. Jacob's tales demonstrate not only the struggle of slavery, but the different struggles she faces as a woman in that circumstance. The story is an emotional rollercoaster for the reader, and it is a historical time piece of the darkness times in North America. But it is not only a remarkable story, it is one of many works that helped a political movement and created a bound between women.

For anyone that is not knowledgeable about the abolitionist movement, it was the motion created to end slavery. Since racism was clearly an issue and slaves were the lowest class society, black individuals were unable to solely be the contributors of the movement and they needed the help of citizens with a higher-class status. Which is in this period it is uniquely white people. It was then necessary for black citizens to spread the message to white folks and convince them to help them.

Jacobs does this with her story by using intersectional feminism which in brief words signifies when feminist uses the voices “of those experiencing overlapping, concurrent forms of oppression in order to understand the depths of the inequalities and the relationships among them in any given context.” (UN Women, 2020) She decides to tell her life journey while demonstrating, comparing, and sympathizing with the struggles white women face because of patriarchy. Jacobs discusses sexual assault, marriage, family and more.

Sexual assault

Her story of sexual assault is horrifying. She explains the feelings of being stuck in a position she could not leave but what is great about her phrasing is that she implies that she not the only women who is affected by it:

“He told me I was his property; that I must be subject to his will in all things. My soul revolted against the mean tyranny. But where could I turn for protection? No matter whether the slave girl be as black as ebony or as fair as her mistress.” (Chapter 5)

She also said this “there is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, from violence, or even from death; all these are inflicted by friends who bear the shape of men.” (Chapter 5) With theses sentences, she is demonstrating that being preyed upon by man is an issue that most women face no matter skin color or class. Which make her interconnect with her female audience and it is her starting point in convincing white women that there are stuck in the same cage that patriarchy place is them.

As much as Jacob’s discusses that both group of women are in similar positions, she does explain the difference between white women and black women in those circumstances. For one, she explains that “[the beauty] which commands admiration in the white woman only hastens the degradation of the female slave.” (Chapter 5) Since black women were not afforded with the concept of purity that white women needed to have to be marriage material. White women were kept virgins till marriage due to religion and society so the process of degradation usually happened when they were married later in their life. This demonstrates the difference that black women are subjected to man’s behavior for earlier then white women do since they are mostly unable to marry (because the masters will not allow them).

This quote explains it well:

“I once saw two beautiful children playing together. One was a fair white child; the other was her slave, and also her sister. When I saw them embracing each other, and heard their joyous laughter, I turned sadly away from the lovely sight. I foresaw the inevitable blight that would fall on the little slave’s heart. I knew how soon her laughter would be changed to sighs. The fair child grew up to be a still fairer woman. From childhood to womanhood her pathway was blooming with flowers, and overarched by a sunny sky. Scarcely one day of her life had been clouded when the sun rose on her happy bridal morning.

How had those years dealt with her slave sister, the little playmate of her childhood? She, also, was very beautiful; but the flowers and sunshine of love were not for her. She drank the cup of sin, and shame, and misery, whereof her persecuted race are compelled to drink. “(Chapter 5)

In brief, Jacob is demonstrating with intersectional feminism that both group of women have the overlapping problem of sexual assault but the skin tone and the title of slave differentiates them. This helps Jacobs to sympathize with white women making her relatable but, also educating these higher-class women in hopes of helping her demolish slavery.

Family and Marriage

Jacob’s does not stop at comparing sexual assault but also in the family and marriage aspect. She explains using Mrs. Flint the wife of her master and of her abuser. Mrs. Flint is distraught by her husband’s sexual behavior and become insecure of her role in the household since her husband is cheating on her. In addition, Mr. Flint does not listen to his wife and ignores her opinions and feelings. Mrs. Flint is then force to endure an unhappy marriage since there is no divorce option that would not make her a social reject. Jacobs explains that many white women were in the same circumstance when she states:

“Reader, I draw no imaginary pictures of southern homes. I am telling you the plain truth. Yet when victims make their escape from the wild beast of Slavery, northerners consent to act the part of bloodhounds, and hunt the poor fugitive back into his den, “full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness.” Nay, more, they are not only willing, but proud, to give their daughters in marriage to slaveholders. The poor girls have romantic notions of a sunny clime, and of the flowering vines that all the year round shade a happy home. To what disappointments are they destined! The young wife soon learns that the husband in whose hands she has placed her happiness pays no regard to his marriage vows. Children of every shade of complexion play with her own fair babies, and too well she knows that they are born unto him of his own household. Jealousy and hatred enter the flowery home, and it is ravaged of its loveliness.” (Chapter 6)

Jacob is demonstrating that slavery not only destroys the life of black women but of white women no matter their class status.

Our author also demonstrate that slavery destroys the mother’s bound between her and her child which pulled the heartstring of many mothers throughout America. She discusses the separation between mother and child since the child would be sold to another slave holder. In addition, the children would be sold quite quickly since they were usually offspring from their slave holder that didn’t want the reputation of having a black child. In sharing her journey about living a life in separation from her children, Jacob emphasized that black enslaved women are moms like white women, they want the best for kids and they want to be able to care for them. She explains all of this very well in this paragraph:

“But to the slave mother New Year’s day comes laden with peculiar sorrows. She sits on her cold cabin floor, watching the children who may all be torn from her the next morning; and often does she wish that she and they might die before the day dawns. She may be an ignorant creature, degraded by the system that has brutalized her from her childhood; but she has a mother’s instincts, and is capable of a mother’s agonies.” (Chapter 3)

In brief, Jacob is using her motherhood to bound with the white women reading her story. She does this to have white women on her side so they can fight together for freedom against slavery.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork

Harriet Jacob’s share that many white women were already making a change in their perception of black individual’s. The wives of some slave holders would obligate their husband to free the enslaved children. She does mention in her story that these white women gave her hope.

The Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl was writing during the Underground Railroad time’s when black enslaved individuals were escaping their slave holder with the help of the Underground Railroad’s which were consisted of many individuals willing to help. Her intersectional feminism make’s her bound with women from any skin color and share their pain relate to the struggles of being a woman. Her story changed many white women’s perception making them switch side during the Civil War.

Harriet Jacob is a feminist icon and a wonderful writer. But the true reason, I am writing this article is to demonstrate the power that we have as a group. The power a few words and a story can have on history and on a movement. That our pain as feminist as women is interconnected in so many ways no matter our skin color. So, we must fight as a team to stand our ground remembering that we are fighting for the same equality.

I will leave you with this, words and teamwork are the most powerful tools that we have to fight patriarchy. So, fight hard with your fellow teammates, keep writing and keep reading.

Reference:

Jacobs, Harriet. The Project Gutenberg eBook of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs (AKA Linda Brent), Project Gutenberg eBook. 2004.

UN Women. Intersectional feminism: what it means and why it matters right now, UN Women. July 2020.