The History of Mary Prince

First published in 1831, “The History of Mary Prince” is the fascinating autobiography of the life of Mary Prince, who was born into slavery in Bermuda. It was the first time the story of a black woman was published in the United Kingdom and it was widely read and reprinted numerous times. It was also very influential to the growing abolitionist movement and increased the anti-slavery sentiment that was gaining popularity in England. Prince was born in 1788 and her parents were both enslaved by different masters. Prince lived with her mother and siblings as household servants until she was sold at age 12 to a series of cruel and brutal masters. Prince was sold a final time in 1815 and her new master eventually took her to England with his family in 1828. Prince was able to gain a certain amount of freedom from her owner in England and she eventually came to work for Thomas Pringle, an abolitionist writer. He convinced Prince to have her life story transcribed and the shocking and brutal tale that emerged affected readers deeply. “The History of Mary Prince” remains an important historical account of the horrors and injustice of slavery.