Slave Narrative of Charles W. Dickens
Charles W. Dickens, born on August 16, 1861, in Raleigh, North Carolina, recounts his life as a child of enslaved parents, Ferebee and John Dickens. Raised in a log house, he recalls the care provided by his mistress and the struggles faced by his father, a carpenter who was sometimes protected from punishment. Dickens describes the arrival of Union soldiers during the Civil War, the theft of food, and his family’s relocation post-war. He reflects on Abraham Lincoln’s role in their emancipation and expresses admiration for Franklin D. Roosevelt.