Harshness of Slavery
By the 1840’s, slave owners from the Eastern Shore often sold their slaves to work in the agricultural fields of the Deep South. The selling of Harriet’s three sisters brought great sadness and bitterness to the family. At the age of 14, Harriet attempted to help a male runaway slave escape by blocking the path of the pursuing overseer, who threw a heavy weight at him which unfortunately hit Harriet in the head with such force that it fractured her skull. The injury left her with headaches, seizures, and spells of semi-consciousness which afflicted her for the rest of her life (Larson, 2014).