The History of Mary Prince

The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave. Mary Prince was a British abolitionist and autobiographer, born in Bermuda, to an enslaved family of African descent. Subsequent to her escape, she was later living in London, England, she wrote The History of Mary Prince (1831), which was the first account of the life of a black woman to be published in the United Kingdom. 'My mother was a household slave in the same family. I was under her own care, and my little brothers and sisters were my play-fellows and companions. My mother had several fine children after she came to Mrs. Williams, --three girls and two boys. The tasks given out to us children were light, and we used to play together with Miss Betsey, with as much freedom almost as if she had been our sister. My master, however, was a very harsh, selfish man; and we always dreaded his return from sea. His wife was herself much afraid of him; and, during his stay at home, seldom dared to shew her usual kindness to the slaves. He often left her, in the most distressed circumstances, to reside in other female society, at some place in the West Indies of which I have forgot the name.