BYJohn Holenda

ChildhoodBorn a slave in 1813 near Edenton, North

CarolinaMother died when she was sixDidn’t realize she was a slave until mother

diedTaken care of by mother’s mistress, Margaret

HorniblowMrs. Horniblow died and willed Linda to her

niece when Harriet was twelve

Life with her new mistressHer mistress’s father, Dr. Flint, sexually harassed

Harriet

“My master met me at every turn, reminding me that I belonged to him, and swearing by heaven and earth that he would compel me to submit to him. If I went out for a breath of fresh air, after a day of unwearied toil, his footsteps dogged me. If I knelt by my mother's grave, his dark shadow fell on me even there. The light heart which nature had given me became heavy with sad forebodings. The other slaves in my master's house noticed the change. Many of them pitied me; but none dared to ask the cause. They had no need to inquire. They knew too well the guilty practices under that roof; and they were aware that to speak of them was an offence that never went unpunished.”(p. 47)

Fearing rape from Dr. Flint led Harriet to start a relationship with a white neighbor, Mr. Sands

Harriet and Mr. Sands had two children while she was only a teenager herself, Benny and Ellen

Dr. Norcom’s ResponseLinda hoped that her relationship would

spark her sale from Dr. Flint to Mr. Sands

Instead Dr. Flint becomes angered by the relationship

Sent her to a plantation he owned to perform hard labor and plans to do the same with her children

Linda’s PlanTo protect her children from Dr. Flint’s

treatment Linda hides in a crawl space in her grandmother’s house

Hopes that Dr. Flint will think she escaped to the North and will sell her children instead of risking that they could escape too

Her plan eventually works and Benny and Ellen are sold to a slave trader representing Mr. Sands, their father

Effects of her planChildren were sold to their father who

promises to one day free them

Linda suffers physically in the tiny crawl space that she can neither sit or stand in

Her childrenEllen is taken to Washington, D.C. to watch

over Mr. Sands new child

Linda fears that Mr. Sands will not only not free her children, but may even sell them to slave traders

Fearing for her children she realizes she has to escape to the North with them

Linda’s escapeAfter 7 years, Linda finally escapes to the

North via boat while Benny stays with Aunt Martha

Linda and Ellen are reunited in Brooklyn where Ellen, 9 years old, works for Mr. Sand’s cousin, Mrs. Hobbs

Linda gets a job as a nursemaid for the Bruce’s in New York City

Living in the NorthThe Bruce’s are very kind to Linda

Dr. Flint still attempts to recapture Linda throughout the novel

Linda reunites with Benny in Boston while running from Dr. Flint

Mrs. Bruce dies and Linda spends some time in Boston with her children

A Year in EnglandLinda lives in England for a year while caring

for Mr. Bruce’s daughter

It is here where Linda says she was free from racial prejudice for the first time

“For the first time in my life I was in a place where I was treated according to my deportment, without reference to my complexion. I felt as if a great millstone had been lifted from my breast. Ensconced in a pleasant room, with my dear little charge, I laid my head on my pillow, for the first time, with the delightful consciousness of pure, unadulterated freedom.” (p. 276)

Returning to AmericaLinda returns to Boston

Ellen attends boarding school

Benny moves to California with Linda’s brother

Dr. Flint dies and his daughter, Emily, now attempts to recapture Linda

Fugitive Slave ActThis Act is passed by Congress making slaves

even more vulnerable to being recaptured and forced back into slavery in the South

Emily and Mr. Dodge, her husband, come to New York to capture Linda

“About the time that I reëntered the Bruce family, an event occurred of disastrous import to the colored people. The slave Hamlin, the first fugitive that came under the new law, was given up by the bloodhounds of the north to the bloodhounds of the south. It was the beginning of a reign of terror to the colored population.” (p. 287)

Another PurchaseMr. Bruce’s new wife offers to buy Linda’s

freedom from Emily

Linda is offended does not want to be bought and sold again, like a piece of property

“In a few days one came from Mrs. Bruce, informing me that my new master was still searching for me, and that she intended to put an end to this persecution by buying my freedom. I felt grateful for the kindness that prompted this offer, but the idea was not so pleasant to me as might have been expected. The more my mind had become enlightened, the more difficult it was for me to consider myself an article of property; and to pay money to those who had so grievously oppressed me seemed like taking from my sufferings the glory of triumph.” (p. 300)

Free At LastMrs. Bruce buys her freedom anyway

Linda remains upset about the slavery system in which people, such as herself, can be bought and sold

“My brain reeled as I read these lines. A gentleman near me said, "It's true; I have seen the bill of sale." "The bill of sale!" Those works struck me like a blow. So I was sold at last! A human being sold in the free city of New York! The bill of sale is on record, and future generations will learn from it that women were articles of traffic in New York, late in the nineteenth century of the Christian religion. It may hereafter prove a useful document to antiquaries, who are seeking to measure the progress of civilization in the United States.” (p. 301)