Performance Postponed on Feb. 2
How far would you go to stay near your children? Harriet Jacobs was a young, enslaved woman in Edenton, NC who did what she needed to do. “Harriet Jacobs” by award winning play write Lydia R. Diamond, is based on Harriet’s autobiography. In her book “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”, Harriet Jacobs describes with brutal honesty the hardships she endures under slavery, including the extraordinary choices she makes to be near her children. To survive, she escapes into her imagination and through writing, discovers hope for a better life. Accompanied by the rich musical traditions of slave spirituals, Harriet Jacobs is an inspiring look at a young woman’s fascinating journey from slavery to freedom.
“Harriet Jacobs” will be presented Feb. 3 – 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. at the North Carolina History Center located at 529 S. Front St. Tickets are available at NCHistoryTheater.org or at the New Bern Historical Society at 511 Broad St. in New Bern.
“Harriet Jacobs” is presented in partnership with the African American Heritage & Culture Center and the New Bern Historical Society. It was funded in part by a grant from the Daughtery Family Fund and the Craven County Unrestricted Endowment Fund, which is administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation.
Director Cynthia M. Evans-Robinson reminds us “Long before the era of the lost cause, former slave Fredrick Douglas gave a riveting oration about our country’s declaration of independence. He explained that while he was happy that his white brothers and sisters gained independence, such liberation was not granted to his people. Telling Harriet Jacobs’s story, an American history tale of triumph reminds us of what it took to get this far. Today we celebrate the freedoms of both races because of people like Fredrick Douglas and Harriet Jacobs”.
The North Carolina History Theater, Inc., is a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to expressing and exploring the unique history of North Carolina through the performing arts and celebrating the rich diversity of our state in all forms of artistic expression. Contact them via email.
Submitted by: Kathy Morrison