How Do Black Authors Perusade Others With Stories? (feat. Harriet Jacobs and Booker T. Washington)
During the United States’ long road from slavery toward civil rights, many Black authors have produced works that spread personal experience, revealing parts of the United States that tried to hide. In this blog, I would like to focus on two specific works, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs (1861), and Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington (1901). These two autobiographies highlight important topics regarding slavery and the injustice that occurred during their lives. However, one important difference comes from the purpose in writing these autobiographies and the intended audience of each. On one hand, Jacobs writes to persuade and educate Northerners by showcasing slavery’s sexual and domestic brutality. On the other hand, Washington writes in an attempt to uplift others, showing how hard work and education can lead to advancement for Black Americans. Harriet Jacobs makes her purpose very clear from the start and remains present throughout the entire auto...