The tale of Frederick Douglass, first published in 1845, is an illuminating and incendiary text. Born into slavery, Douglass became the primary spokesman for his people during his lifetime; his narrative is an unprecedented account of the inhumane effects of slavery and Douglass' triumph over it. His use of vivid language describing violence against slaves, his personal insights into the dynamics between slaves and slaveowners, and his naming of specific people and places made his book an indictment of a society that continued to accept slavery as a social and economic institution. Like Douglass, Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery, and in 1853 she published Letter from a Fugitive Slave, now recognized as one of the most comprehensive antebellum slave narratives written by an African-American woman. Jacobs' story broke the silence on the exploitation of African-American slaves. As the United States grew, the institution of slavery became a way of life in the Southern states, while the Northern states began to abolish it. While most free blacks lived in poverty, some were able to start successful businesses that helped the black community. Racial discrimination often meant that blacks were not welcome or were mistreated in white businesses and other establishments. A comparison of the narratives of Douglass and Jacobs demonstrates the full range of demands and situations experienced by slaves, as well as the mistreatment they experienced. Jacobs suffered constant sexual harassment from James Norcom, just as numerous enslaved women suffered sexual abuse or harassment during the slave era. Another problem that blacks faced was the incompetence of white owners and people. In the... center of the paper... Jacobs' story concerns the sexual exploitation that she, as well as many other slaves, had to endure. Her narrative focuses on the internal issues facing African American women, she even states, “Slavery is bad for men, but it is much more terrible for women.” Thus, the genre separated the two narratives and gave each a distinct view of slavery. Douglas showed “how a slave became a man” in a physical confrontation with an overseer and journey to freedom. Jacobs' gender determined a different course and how women were affected. It may seem that Douglass and Jacob's lives moved in different directions, but it is important not to lose the shared will to achieve the freedom that their narratives proclaim. They never lost their determination to achieve not only freedom from slavery, but also respect for their individual humanity and for other slaves..