Our Nig: Sketches From the Life Of A Free Black
Sketches from the
Life of a Free Black,
In a Two Story White House, North.
SHOWING THAT SLAVERY'S SHADOWS
FALL EVEN THERE
The series of words above comprise the entire title of a novel thought to be the first one penned and published by an African American woman, Harriet E. Wilson, in the United States
A discussion of the author and the book, by Patricia Cummings
On January 9, 2007, we traveled to Milford, NH to see the recently dedicated statue above that honors Harriet E. Wilson, who wrote Our Nig. Fern Cunningham of Boston is the sculptor who is responsible for this marvelous and detailed work of art.
Side view of Harriet E. Wilson statue in Milford, NH, shows her young son. The detailing of this bronze statue, by Fern Cunningham of Boston, is exceptional. The statue is the first monument, in New Hampshire, that is dedicated to a person of color, according to an NPR report. Photo taken by James Cummings on 1/9/07.
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Letter received from Fred Graf on February 17, 2008:
The claim that the new Harriet Wilson statue is the first monument to a person of color in New Hampshire does not appear to be correct. There has been a monument to Junior O'Neal in Keene's Wheelock Park since shortly after his death perhaps 15 years ago. A copy of St. Gaudens' memorial to the all-Black Civil War regiment has been in Cornish for years. It probably would be correct to say this is the first statue dedicated to a single individual of color in NH. The picture in your piece certainly encourages me to view it.
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Out of Obscurity
Harriet E. (Adams) Wilson is currently achieving more recognition than she ever did in her own lifetime. Born on a farm in Milford, New Hampshire in 1825, she was abandoned by her (white) mother when she was six years old, and thereafter, led a difficult life.
Harriet married Thomas Wilson in 1851, a Free Black who earned money by pretending to be a fugitive slave and telling tales of his life of slavery in Virginia. He deserted her and their son in 1852. Reports indicate that due to physical and emotional battering, in servitude, she was unable to work for money.
She died in 1900, and in the meantime, lived in relative obscurity. She might have remained there had it not been for Henry Louis Gates, Jr. who uncovered a volume of "Our Nig" in a New York bookstore and republished the book, and were it not for JerriAnne Boggis, who founded and directed a Milford, New Hampshire group, formally organized as the "Harriet Wilson Project," in 2003.
Statue Dedication
Scholars and others were called in to help to reconstruct the details of Harriet's life, not always an easy task for someone who lived so long ago before good public records were kept. As a result of their work in stirring up local interest, the group's fundraising resulted in a statue dedicated to Harriet E. (Adams) Wilson. This sculpture, created by Fern Cunningham, a Boston artist, was set in place at Milford's Bicentennial Park, and was unveiled on November 4, 2006.
Since no known image of Harriet Wilson exists, a fourteen year old girl named Mercy Belle posed as a model so that the sculptor could come up with a suitable design, according to a report at www.npr.org. The young girl also recites excerpts from "Our Nig," for the public to enjoy.
In this close-up shot of the Harriet E. Wilson statue, she is holding open the pages of her book. Bicentennial Park, (parallel to Clinton St., in Milford, New Hampshire).
A Blend of Two Genres
A little while ago, I heard a discussion about Harriet Wilson's life on a public radio station. I was intrigued enough to order the book she wrote, which is now in reprint form. The "novel" is not exactly a novel, as she bases it on experiences that she endured personally, as the indentured servant of the Hayward family of Milford, New Hampshire, upon whom she bases her fictional stories. Those who have considered the book closely consider it to be a blending of two genres: an autobiographical account and a nineteenth century slave narrative.
Preface is An Apology
The brief "Preface" features an apologetic tone. In part, she says, "My humble position and frank confession of errors, will, I hope, shield me from severe criticism. Indeed defects are so apparent it requires no skilful (sic) hand to expose them."
A Need to Write
The book is relatively short and the author admittedly wrote it to help support herself and her son, George Mason Wilson. The two of them both show up on reports from the town's Overseer for the Poor, within the five year period prior to publication of the book.
George C. Rand and Avery, a Boston publishing firm, was the first to print the book in 1859, at Harriet's own expense. Sadly, Harriet had lost custody of her son and he was a prime motivation for writing the novel. Her son died in 1860, at the age of seven, just five and a half months after the book was published.
Much insight is to be gleaned, even from just the title. "Our Nig." That is a strong statement in itself. I am eager to finish reading the book. The scenes she depicts are graphic. The way in which she divides words, with a dash, is an interesting manner of writing. Historically, the story is a compelling one.
For more information, please visit: www.harrietwilsonproject.org
©Copyright 2006-2008. Patricia Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, New Hampshire. pat@quiltersmuse.com