Slave Narratives

A type of literature that generated sensation during the antebellum period, slave narratives provide exclusive accounts of experiences of African American slaves. The purpose behind writing and publishing slave narratives was to oppose the pro slavery propaganda. The narratives did the job of promoting humanity by presenting before people the horrific treatment given to the slaves. These narratives were also influenced by the thoughts of abolitionist orators. The reasons for slave narratives gaining popularity were not just the sensational and lurid picture of slavery portrayed in it, but also the interesting information and facts about the southern parts of America, where slavery was a common practice. Moreover, the narratives were influenced by religious principles.

Slave Narratives in Brief
Some of the experiences of the slaves are presented below. Though, a brief account, it provides an insight about the life of slaves in those times.

• Walter Calloway: He was born in 1848 in Richmond, Virginia. Slaves could be purchased in those times and Walter's mother and brother were victims of this "legitimate" form of human trafficking. He recalls slaves being whipped in those days and a thirteen year old girl was almost killed of whipping. He also remembers the Federal troops destroying the plantation in Montgomery, Alabama where he served as a laborer.
• Charity Anderson: Born in Monroe, Alabama, 101 year old Charity Anderson served a white master in a wood yard. She remembers her owner being a kind person. However, she had seen slaves being treated mercilessly during her time.
• Lucinda Davis: She doesn't remember her birthplace but, recollects being a slave to a Creek Indian and working on a farm near Honey Springs. Being the youngest of ten slaves, Lucinda remained with her owner as other slaves left during the Civil War.
• Clayton Holbert: He was one of the 100 slaves who served Pleasant Holbert. Clayton Holbert was born in Linn County. Clayton's mother though, was granted freedom by her master, but was recaptured by slave traders. His brother and father served as soldiers in the army.
• Tempe Herndon Durham: The 103 year old lady, Tempe Herndon Durham, was brought up in Catham County of North Carolina. She assisted her owners, the Herndon family, in their farm.
• Joseph Holmes: Born in Henry County in Virginia, he left for Mobile, Alabama when he was young. His mistress treated the slaves fairly as she was keen on running a good slave business. She considered mistreating slaves as poor business.
• Fountain Hughes: He was born in 1848. He recalls that his family had to find an alternate source of income after the end of slavery. During the times of slavery, the slaves had to carry a pass. He also recalls slaves being auctioned.
• Ben Horry: He worked as a boatman during the Civil War, and lived in a place called Murrells Inlet, on the coast of South Carolina.
• Maria Jackson: She worked as a laborer on a farm with her father, Jim Neely. The 79 year old lady, who was born in Notasulga, Alabama, was separated from her family but later reunited.

Today, the slave narratives are available in digital form along with the huge collections of printed narratives. The Library of Congress, in the USA, has a digital collection in excess of 2,300 narratives. These were prepared by microfilming the written documents.

The slave narratives were extremely popular before the Civil War. However, with the end of slavery in America, the sensation and rage behind them subsided. Nobody wanted to recall the unjust times of the past. The new atmosphere which promoted liberty and fostered development, made the slave narratives irrelevant from the point of view of the "New Americans".