Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl emerged as a groundbreaking work at the dawn of the Civil War, a time fraught with tension and transformation in America. Initially, the book received attention from the abolitionist press and was relatively well-circulated, but it soon slipped into obscurity. It wasn't until the resurgence of interest in African American women writers in the mid-20th century that Jacobs's poignant narrative was rediscovered, offering a vital perspective on the lived experiences of enslaved women.

Jacobs’s autobiography is a cornerstone among the numerous slave testimonies, both written and oral, that chronicle themes of bondage, suffering, self-definition, and the arduous journey to freedom. Unlike earlier African American portrayals often crafted by white authors as mere societal 'problems,' Jacobs's narrative stands apart by providing an introspective account of her life, voiced from within the black slave community itself. Through her story, Jacobs challenges the pervasive narratives constructed by white slaveholders, presenting a complex and deeply personal critique of American society.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is not only the most renowned and scrutinized slave narrative by an African American woman but also the singular account left by a formerly enslaved woman in the United States. Writing under the pseudonym Linda Brent, Jacobs exposes the brutal realities and injustices embedded in the chattel slavery system. She aimed to enlighten Northern women about the pervasive suffering of their Southern counterparts, a perspective largely absent from other abolitionist writings of the time, which often overlooked the particular sexual vulnerabilities faced by enslaved women.

Jacobs’s narrative courageously highlights the tyrannical grip of slavery over African American women’s bodies and choices. She recounts her romantic relationship that resulted in two illegitimate children, a defiance of Christian sexual mores for which she pleads understanding. Jacobs’s lack of agency in choosing a partner underscores the broader denial of autonomy experienced by enslaved women, challenging readers to reconsider the moral hypocrisies of slaveholders who preached Christian love while dehumanizing those they enslaved.

Through a factual and gripping narrative, Jacobs delves into the psychological devastation of slavery on black families, complex interactions between white and enslaved women, and the oppressive legal frameworks supporting slavery. She narrates her own acts of resistance and pursuit of freedom, weaving in significant historical events such as the Nat Turner uprising and the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law, which heightened the risks faced by those fleeing bondage. Jacobs also poignantly addresses the persistence of racial discrimination in the North, where African Americans continued to face systemic inequalities, such as segregated seating on trains.