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I have been a slave—I have felt what a slave feels, and I know what a slave knows; and I would have all the good people in England to know it too, that they may break our chains, and set us free.
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“I have been a slave—I have felt what a slave feels, and I know what a slave knows; and I would have all the good people in England to know it too, that they may break our chains, and set us free.”

Mary Prince

Source
The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave
Date
1831
Meaning

Meaning of “I have been a slave—I have felt what…”

Prince grounds her abolitionist appeal in lived experience, insisting that people who have not endured slavery should hear testimony from those who have.

Source context

Where does it come from?

The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave, Related by Herself, 1831. Prince’s oral account was taken down for publication; the passage explicitly explains why she wanted English readers to know what slavery felt like from an enslaved person’s perspective.

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Themes

Ideas connected with this quotation

Courage Quotes About Acting Despite FearEqualityFreedomThought-Provoking Quotes That Invite ReflectionTruthDignityRights
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Source details

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