“My Master had power and law on his side; I had a determined will. There is might in each.”
- Incidents the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
By Harriet Jacobs
Adaptation and Direction: Wynn Handman
Performed by Cherita Armstrong
After seeing this presentation, audiences absorbed the power of this true story without the need for sets or props. Instead, the truth of the author's evocative words will emerge with a visceral experience that may become an enduring part of their understanding of the "peculiar institution" of slavery.
The Story
This celebrated slave narrative includes the author's account of the seven years she spent hiding out as a fugitive in her grandmother's attic.
In Performance
The show features fifty minutes of performance. The author is the protagonist in this solo piece which illuminates in shocking fashion the traumas of slavery, particularly for women and children. The stage adaptation culminates in Harriet Jacobs' powerful and moving experiences during the seven years she spent hiding in The Loophole, a crawl space in her grandmother's attic.
Appropriate for: middle / high school, college, and community audiences