14: Harriet E. Wilson: A Life Unwritten

Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons

Date: November 20, 2024 Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons Title and Show Info Episode #14: Harriet E. Wilson: A Life Unwritten Featuring: Toni Davis (Host & Storyteller). Summary In this episode, we dive into the turbulent life of Harriet E. Wilson—“Hattie”—a woman whose indomitable spirit defied the odds to become the first African American to publish a novel in North America. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire in March 1825, Hattie’s story is both heartbreaking and uplifting: orphaned young, bound into indentured servitude, and later abandoned by her husband, she faced countless challenges. Yet, it was her incredible resilience and ambition that propelled her forward, eventually inspiring Our Nig, her largely autobiographical novel that exposed the harsh realities of racial and class discrimination in the North. Hattie’s journey didn’t end there. After the tragic loss of her son, she immersed herself in the Spiritualist movement of the time, becoming a beloved trance medium, healer, and speaker who captivated audiences across New England. Despite her struggles, Hattie found her voice, her community, and her calling—championing causes from labor reform to children’s education. Join us as we uncover Hattie’s profound legacy: a life marked by triumphs, sorrows, and supernatural beliefs that allowed her to transcend her circumstances. Rediscovered in 1982, Hattie’s story continues to resonate, reminding us of the power of courage, creativity, and conviction. This is the tale of Harriet E. Wilson—author, medium, and a voice that could not be silenced.

Highlights: 00:57= INTRO. 01:01= HARRIET E. ADAMS’ BIRTH. 01:45= HER FATHER JOSHUA GREEN 01:50= HER MOTHER MARGARET ANN ADAMS. 02:23= HER FATHER PASSES AWAY. 03:03= HARRIET IS SENT LIVE AT THE HAYWARD HOUSEHOLD. 03:10= HER MOTHER PASSES AWAY. 03:33= BECOMES AN INDENTURED SERVANT TO THE HAYWARD HOUSEHOLD. 05:15= ATTENDS SCHOOL. 06:11= TURNS 18 AND LEAVES THE HAYWARD HOUSEHOLD. 06:30= WORKS AS A SEAMSTRESS & HOUSE SERVANT. 06:46= BOARDS WITH LOCAL FAMILIES. 07:16= MEETS THOMAS WILSON. 07:24= THEY MARRY. 07:33= THOMAS ABANDON’S HARRIET. 07:40= ALONE & PREGNANT. 07:46= POEM “FADING AWAY” PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPER. 06:37= RECEIVES THE YOUNG MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD. 08:03= LIVES AT THE HILLSBOROUGH POOR FARM. 07:49= PROMOTED TO MAJOR. 08:10= GIVES BIRTH TO HER SON, GEORGE MASON WILSON. 08:30= LEAVES GEORGE AT THE POOR FARM. 08:58= WRITES OUR NIG, A NOVEL. 09:43= COPYWRIGHTS OUR NIG. 09:47= PUBLISHES OUR NIG. 10:05= GEORGE PASSES AWAY. 10:27= REFUGE IN THE SPIRITUALIST MOVEMENT. 10:45= COLORED TRANCE MEDIUM. 10:55= SPIRITUALIST CAMP MEETING. 11:15= SPEECHES ON LABOR REFORM AND CHILDREN’S EDUCATION. 11:37= RECOGNIZED AS A HEALER. 12:07= MARRIES JOHN GALLATIN ROBINSON. 12:40= CHILDREN’S PROGRESSIVE LYCEUMS. 13:12= SPEAKS AGAINST THE STATE’S ROLE IN CHILD-REARING. 13:35= RUNS A BOARDING HOUSE. 15:01= CARED FOR AT QUINCY HOSPITAL. 15:14= HARRIET PASSES AWAY. 15:44= BURIED AT MOUNT WOLLASTON CEMETERY. 15:56= REDISCOVERED BY SCHOLAR HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. 16:22= THE HARRIET WILSON PROJECT COMMISSIONS A STATUE IN 2006. 17:06= APART OF THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 17:11= HISTORICAL MARKER UNVEILED. 17:41= CONCLUSION. Subscribe to the podcast.

Links To Additional Resources: Harriet E. Wilson - Wikipedia Harriet E. Wilson African American Author Biography Harriet E. Wilson | First African-American Novelist, 19th Century Novelist, New England Novelist | Britannica Harriet E. Wilson | Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Harriet E. Adams Wilson (ca. 1828-?) • Harriet Wilson, Author born - African American Registry Welcome to the official Harriet Wilson Project Page Harriet E. Wilson Memorial | Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Harriet Wilson: African American Writer Today in Black History: August 18, 1859 “Harriet E. Wilson Copyrights ‘Our Nig’ “ | Idealistic Ambition's Not a Slave, yet not Free: Harriet E. Wilson and the Abolition Movement - Black Heritage Trail NH HARRIET E. WILSON: African American Spiritualist - Spiritual Path Church Harriet Wilson | History of American Women