About the book: year / “I Was Born a Slave” is a true story and one of the few surviving works about slavery written by a woman. First published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Brent. This is the autobiography of Harriet Jacobs, a slave who did not accept her fate and escaped from slavery, a saga about the life of black slaves and a sentimental women's novel under one cover. Linda's story of determination and courage has become a classic of American literature and continues to enlighten and inspire to this day..