EDENTON, N.C. — Each year visitors come to the small town of Edenton, North Carolina to learn more about best selling author, abolitionist, and educator Harriet Jacobs, who wrote the book "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".

“It is considered one of the most well documented and explained stories of what life was like, particularly from the view not only of an enslaved person but of an enslaved woman,” says historic interpreter Charles Boyette.

In 1813, Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery in Edenton. When she was 11 years old she was purchased by a doctor named James Norcom. Escaping his abuse, she hid in her grandmother’s attic crawl space for nearly 7 years before escaping to Philadelphia by way of the Maritime Underground Railroad.

Her story is one of the best documented accounts of the role of the Maritime Underground Railroad in the flight to freedom of enslaved persons.

In 1861, Jacobs published her novel, which documented her struggles and triumphs. It is now required reading in many schools across the country and has been translated into several languages.

Jacobs was inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame on May 17, 1997.

Those visiting Edenton can explore the city Jacobs once called home and the harbor that led her to freedom.

Tours are available year round through the Historic Edenton State Historic Site. For more information visit their website.