The Bondwoman's Narrative.

by Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. Warner Books, April 2002 $24.95, ISBN 0-446-53008-5

In the 1850s, a fugitive slave named Hannah Crafts penned the account of a young woman's life in slavery and her escape to the North. She called it The Bondwoman's Narrative, and it may very well be the first novel written by an African-American woman.

Largely autobiographical, the novel concerns itself with Hannah, a biracial house slave educated by a white couple who lived on the outskirts of the plantation where she was born. Through a series of cruel mishaps, she becomes the maidservant of Mr. and Mrs. John Wheeler. Wealthy with political ambitions, the Wheelers purchase Hannah to replace a runaway slave. Eventually, Hannah plans her own flight North, using her fair complexion to aid in her escape.

Though she is without formal education, Crafts' references and vocabulary suggest a love of language and books. Much like the conventions of popular women's fiction of the time, her writing style is sentimental and melodramatic. Interestingly, the text contains original edits, which allow for an insightful look into Crafts' writing process.

Equally compelling is the story behind Crafts' heretofore unpublished manuscript, which was acquired by Henry Louis Gates Jr. at auction. The introduction to The Bondwoman's Narrative includes a full account of the search for Hannah Crafts and the discovery and authentication of her novel.

For a manuscript written nearly two hundred years ago to come to light today is a miracle, and the fact it is the painstaking and carefully wrought work of a former slave is an inspiration and a source of pride.

--Zakia Carter is a writer living in Brooklyn and the founder of coloredgirls.com.