Women of Reconstruction: Susie King Taylor, Harriet Jacobs, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
About this video
This video reads aloud three primary sources by Black women of the Reconstruction era. Susie King Taylor describes Black Union soldiers fighting a fire in Charleston in 1865 and being abused by the white residents they helped; Harriet Jacobs writes from the home where she was once enslaved about freedom, voting and the rebels' efforts to win over freed people; and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper calls for public sentiment in favour of justice and mercy and urges people never to give up.
You'll be able to
- describe what Susie King Taylor's account shows about how Black Union soldiers were treated.
- explain the mixed feelings Harriet Jacobs expresses about freedom.
- summarise the message of perseverance in Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's words.
Key words
- Primary source
- A document written by someone who lived through the events, like a letter or memoir.
- Regiment
- A large unit of soldiers.
- Freedmen
- People who had been enslaved and were now free.
- Suffrage
- The right to vote.
- Public sentiment
- What most people in a society feel or believe.
Transcript
[Music] reminiscences of life in camp by susie king taylor [Music] on february 28 1865 the remainder of the regiment were ordered to charleston as there were signs of the rebels evacuating that city we arrived in charleston and found the reps had set fire to the city and fled leaving the women behind and children behind to suffer and perish in the flames our regiment went to work assisting the citizens in subduing the fleets it was a terrible scene the men fought the fire saving the property and the effects of the people yet these white men and women could not tolerate our black union soldiers for many of them had formerly been their slaves and although these brave men risked life and limb to assist them in their distress men and even women would smear and molest them whenever they met them suzy king taylor [Music] eat it april 25th dear mrs chaney i felt i would like to
write you a line from my old home i'm sitting under the old roof 12 feet from the spot where i suffered all the crushing weight of slavery thank god the bitter cup is drained of its last dread i cannot tell you how i feel in this place the change is so great i can hardly take it all in i was born here and amid all these newborn blessings the old dark cloud comes over me and i find it hard to have faith in the rebels negro suffrage is making me stir in this place the rebels are striving hard to make these people here feel they are their true friends and they must not be led astray by the yankees the freedmen asked if abraham lincoln led them astray that his friends is their friends his enemies their enemies my love to miss daisy
i send her jasmine blossoms tell her they bear the fragrance of freedom yours truly h jacobs [Music] what we need in the onward march of humanity is a public sentiment in favor of common justice and simple mercy inviting you to this work i do not promise you fair sailing and unclouded skies you may meet with coolness where you expect sympathy disappointment where you are sure of success isolation and loneliness instead of heart support and cooperation but for a life that is in harmony with god and sympathy for man there is no such word as fail let no misfortunes crush you no hostility of enemies or failure of friends discourage you [Music] you
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