Bein’ the diary of a slave girl’s a hard life. I bin made up of bits of paper what was goin’ be t’rown out. Clotee knows what she’s doin’ though, just using rubbish if’n she stole a book to use for me things would go much worse for her should she be caught. She shouldn’t have no learnin’s anyway but to have stolen a book!

I bin proud of my role in her life, she comes and writs stuff in me when she can sometimes so tired from working in the house. I knows everything she writ in me so I knows how hard she done work. Visitors came stay one time, Clotee was worked off her’n feet. Upstairs, downstairs, carryin’ water hither and yon. She writ how tired she was before hiding me and sleeping. I bin hid in all places, behind a chimney, in a tree and then in Aunt Tee’s hut. ‘Twas good for Clotee to tell Aunt Tee about her learnin’s and to see me. Good for all the slaves, gives them hope.

Clotee was still writing in me when she became a conductor on the underground railroad. I nearly puffed up in pride at that. My writer helpin’ others escape slavery. She bin a good girl, lots a’learnin’s and helpin’ others, over 150 slaves she helped to freedom.

She done lots more learnin’ at university and when she was 92 was interviewed as if she was an important person. And that she was, even General Ulysses S Grant gave her a commendation for her valour, a proper certificate and all.

If’n you don’t believe me you go find her gravestone, it done be marked with:

FREEDOM IS MORE THAN A WORD