Read this when
Our Nig; or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black
In 1859 Harriet Wilson wrote down exactly what happened to her in a 'respectable' Northern home, so nobody could say it didn't.
Who it's for
Frado's story is told plainly and without pretending the household was better than it was, which can validate readers whose childhood abuse was hidden behind a respectable family front.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Harriet E. Wilson's 1859 novel follows Frado, the daughter of a white woman, Mag Smith, and a Black man, Jim. After Jim's death, Mag leaves six-year-old Frado with the Bellmont family as an indentured servant, where Mrs. Bellmont subjects her to years of harsh treatment and beatings while Mr. Bellmont stays passive, and Frado finds comfort in a few sympathetic people such as Aunt Abby and Jack.
Where to find it
Public domain in the US; free on Project Gutenberg. In print in editions with introductions (Vintage, with Henry Louis Gates Jr.; Penguin Classics) and in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobook editions.
Before you start
Heads up: Repeated physical abuse of a child.
Age: Ages 16+
Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women.Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
