Rachel And Harriet Jacobs Summary

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“Line of Color, Sex, and Service: Sexual Coercion in the Early Republic” is a publication that discusses two women, Rachel Davis and Harriet Jacobs. This story explains the lives of both Rachel and Harriet and their relationship between their masters. Rachel, a young white girl around the age of fourteen was an indentured servant who belonged to William and Becky Cress. Harriet, on the other hand, was born an enslaved African American and became the slave of James and Mary Norcom. This publication gives various accounts of their masters mistreating them and how it was dealt with. Rachel and Harriet were both forced to have sexual relations with their masters. In both account, the girls recounted the many times they had resisted and cried in an attempt to avoid the powers of their masters. Rachel attempted to avoid the power of her master by threatening to inform his wife about their sexual encounters. Rachel also refused to allow William to have sex with her inside the home forcing William to order her into a dark field. She felt as if this disrupted his original attempts at a seamless consensual interaction. Harriet tried to avoid the power of her master in several different ways. For example, Harriet’s master …show more content…

In the case of Rachel, William’s wife, Becky was often suspicious of Rachel and William’s relationship. Becky eventually confronted Rachel and discovered the truth. This formed an alliance between Rachel and Becky that allowed Rachel some protection from her master. Harriet, much like Rachel, also created an alliance with her master’s wife, Mary. Harriet confessed to Mary that James had been sexually harassing her and Mary promised to protect Harriet from harm. This eventually led to Harriet being

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