Harriet Jacobs in Cambridge:

• Born into slavery in 1813, Edenton, North Carolina
• Escaped slavery and lived in hiding for 7 years
• Authored Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861)
• Moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts after the Civil War
• Dedicated her life to social reform, education, and aid for formerly enslaved people

Research Question:

How did Harriet Jacobs contribute to the Cambridge community and broader civil rights efforts during her time there?

• Arrived post-Civil War (~1870s)
• Seeking a safe and active reform environment
• Cambridge offered a supportive Black community

Key Activities in Cambridge:

• Worked to support freed people displaced by war
• Helped establish schools for African American children
• Collaborated with local activists and religious groups
• Lived at 17 Story Street (site no longer exists)

• Education: Advocated for accessible schooling for Black children
• Relief Work: Distributed clothing, food, and housing resources
• Women’s Rights: Her book remains one of the most powerful firsthand accounts of slavery

Why does this matter today?

• She bridged abolition, education, and civil rights work
• A woman of color shaping policy and compassion in a post-war U.S.
• Her work in Cambridge reflects the city’s ongoing legacy of activism

“There are no bonds so strong as those which are formed by suffering together.”