06/02/2026
THURSDAY AT 6 PM: In antebellum America, enslaved girls were among the most vulnerable members of society due to anti-Black racism, sexism, and ageism. But Black girls and their community laid claim to childhood innocence despite enslaversâ persistent efforts to adultify them.
Through a close reading of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861) and Louisa Picquet, the Octoroon: A Tale of Southern Slave Life (1861), MaDeja Leverett, a doctoral candidate in history at Johns Hopkins University, will highlight the girlhood experiences of Harriet Jacobs and Louisa Picquet as significant examples that speak to the intricacies of enslaved girlsâ lives.
Register now at bit.ly/becomingwomen.