Jacob Rockwell-Collins’ Beginning

May 14, 1861

I was born in Georgetown, South Carolina.  That’s 
along the coast, not really all that far from 
Charleston where the first shot of the Civil War 
rang out at Fort Sumter.  South Carolina was the 
first state to secede from the Union.  

I have no accurate knowledge of my age.  I’ve never 
seen any record of my birth.  The white children 
could tell their ages.  A constant source of 
unhappiness for me was why I ought to be deprived 
of the same privilege.  I didn’t dare ask my master -
such inquiries by a slave were improper, impertinent, 
and evidence of a restless spirit.

It is the wish of most masters to keep their slaves 
ignorant.  I pretend to be ignorant, don’t want no 
whippings.  I may be risking my life writing this 
diary, but I need to leave an accurate record -- not 
many slaves can read or write.  Since I know how, I 
must do this for my people.  I write when I should be 
sleeping and then hide my writings.  Therefore, I 
write when I can.  

Before I was old enough to work in the fields, my 
mistress, (my masters wife), was very kindly to me.  
She was teaching me the A, B, C’s.  After I learned 
the alphabet she taught me how to spell words with 
three and four letters in them.  At this point my 
master found out, scolded his wife, and forbade his 
wife to teach me anything more.  Master said if a 
slave knew how to read and write the slave would 
become unmanageable and of no value to his master.  
That a slave should know nothing but to obey his 
master -- to do as he is told to do.  I knew right 
then the white man’s power to enslave a black man.  

From that moment, I understood the pathway from 
slavery to freedom.  I wanted it, and in time, I’m 
determined to get it!  Funny thing was, my master’s 
adamant argument against my learning to read and write, 
just gave me the desire and the determination to learn 
it more.  So in learning to read and write I owe as 
much to my master’s bitter opposition as I owe to the 
kindly aid of my mistress.  I have them both to thank.