Harriet Jacobs, who calls herself Linda Brent in the narrative, was born into slavery to two enslaved Black people who, due to their light complexions, were referred to as mulattos. The family, which included her younger brother William, lived in relatively comfortable circumstances. Her grandmother Martha, a talented cook, baked and sold crackers, which allowed her to pay for her family’s clothing and set aside funds to purchase her children. When Martha’s owner died, his property, including his slaves, were divided among his heirs. Martha’s five children were split among the owner’s surviving children.

Martha loaned her $300 savings to her mistress on good faith, as the latter promised to pay her back soon. In recalling this memory, Harriet reminds the reader that slaves could not hold their own funds and that no debt to a slave was legally binding.

Harriet’s mother was owned by the daughter of Martha’s owner’s wife. This daughter, a childhood friend of Harriet’s mother, promised her that Harriet and William would never suffer. When Harriet was six, her mother died, and her mistress cared for Harriet and William and taught Harriet how to read and write. However, when Harriet was 12, this mistress died and bequeathed her to her niece, Emily Flint, who was five years old.