Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Jacobs, Harriet Brent

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Description

Handwritten letter from Harriet Brent Jacobs to Amy Kirby Post, n.d. Jacobs describes the process of writing her slave narrative.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

85

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

Oct 9^th
My Dear Friend
I was more than glad to
recieve [sic] your welcome letter
for I must acknowledge
that your long silence had
troubled me much I should
have written before this but
we have had a little mem
ber added to the family
and I have had little time
for any thing besides the
extras it makes my heart
sad to tell you that I
have not heard from
my Brother and Joseph and
dear Amy I have lost that
Dear old Grandmother you
that I so dearly love oh
her life has been one of
sorrow and trial but he
in whom she trusted has
never forsaken her her

(Page 2)

Death was beautiful
may my last end be like
hers Louisa is with me
I dont know how long
she will remain I shall
try and keep her all win
ter as I want to try and
make arrangements to have
some of my time
Mrs. Stowe never answer
ed any of my letters after
I refused to have my his
tory in her key perhaps its
for the best at least I will
try and think so did ^have^ you
seen any more of my scrib
ling they were marked
fugitive William Nell
told Louisa about the
piece and sent her a Copy
I was careful to keep it
from her and no one here
never suspected me I would

(Page 3)

not have Mrs W. to
know it before I had
undertaken my history
for I must write just
what I have lived and
witnessed myself dont
expect much of me dear
Amy you shall have truth
but not talent God did not
give me that gift but
he gave me a soul that
burned for freedom and
a heart nerved with de
termination to suffer ev
en unto death in pur
suit of that liberty which
without makes life an
intolerable burden but
dear ^A^ I fear that I am
burdening you the re
quest in your letter I
told you it was true in
all its statement accept [sic]

(Page 4)

its being my Mother
and sister but we grew
up together the answer
to the Slaves being out
lawed in North Carolina
I was at home when the
poor outlawed was brung [sic]
in town with his head
severed from his body
the piece on Colosina
Colonisation was just
what my poor little
indignant heart felt
towards the society and
now my my dear friend
dont flatter me I am
aware of my many mistakes
and willing to be told of
them only let me come before
the world as I have been an un
educated oppressed slave but
I must stop love to all God
bless you excuse the Hasty scrawl
1 O Clock Yours Harriet

Annotations

Harriet Brent Jacobs, a former slave and abolitionist, is writing to Amy Post, a close friend and benefactor. Joseph was Jacobs's son. Louisa was Jacobs's daughter. Harriet Beecher Stowe was an abolitionist and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin- a fictional account of slavery. William Cooper Nell was a former slave and abolitionist. Jacobs refers to her employer, Cornelia Grinnell Willis.

Tags

Abolitionism; Enslaved people; Family

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Jacobs, Harriet Brent, “Jacobs, Harriet Brent. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2386.

Transcribe This Item