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Old Elizabeth (1766 – 1867) or Elizabeth was a Black writer and Christian minister born in Maryland in the late 1700s. She is known for preaching in opposition to slavery. She later wrote her own narrative titled Memoir of Old Elizabeth, a Colored Woman in which she discussed her life as a Black, religious woman.

Early life
Elizabeth was born in 1766 in the state of Maryland. Born into slavery, her parents, who were enslaved themselves, practiced religion. From an early age, Elizabeth sat down with her parents and read the Bible. Through extensive reading she was taught to read and analyze the work of the Bible. Christian values were an important aspect of both her and her family's life and she moved on to share her Christian experiences and principles with other people.

"Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A Colored Woman"
The Memoir of Old Elizabeth, A Colored Woman was written by Elizabeth at the age of ninety-seven.The Memoir serves as documentation of the life experiences Elizabeth had from young to old age while also showcasing the outcome of growing up in a religious household to enslaved parents. Her narrative, while it was written by her own hands, also assisted readers with the ability of reading experiences from Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s narrative talks about the early beginnings of growing up in Mississippi in 1766, where at the young age of 11, she was separated from her family by her master to work on another farm plantation for a new master. This separation from her family was the beginning stage of further religious development. Then came the discussion of the relationships that slaves had with their master. Elizabeth's master denied her any further contact with her family, vowing to keep her within the confines of the plantation.While her family was no longer with her, the only person that she was able to turn to and confide in was God. At a time where Black people were not allowed to read and write, her parents' ability to obtain those skills allowed them to practice the scriptures that were written in the Bible. Elizabeth’s journey towards becoming an official minister was written in her memoir as a difficult process.

Some slave narratives, or black spiritual autobiographies, were said to be a way to reach God in order for the message that was engraved in the stories to be conveyed to readers in a certain way. Specifically, it was said that God was able to emanate the information in the narrative to readers to make it more comprehensible. Many of the slaves that wrote novels like Elizabeth’s expected that God’s presence throughout the novel would ensure that readers read the narrative appropriately and faithfully. Because of this many believed that a selected number of slave narratives could be viewed politically. Debates arose on whether or not the “Memoir of Old Elizabeth: A Coloured Woman” was a political narrative. In view of Elizabeth not only being Black, but a Black woman, this opened questions of preaching and religion as a whole on a political stance. Women during this time were not constructed to be preachers and were mainly submitted to domestic housework. Elizabeth, growing up, faced more problems dealing with the physical and mental chains of slavery while also struggling to grasp onto the holds of the passion that she was destined for—preaching.

While many did not view Elizabeth's memoir as a political piece, there were others that did. Under those circumstances came the debate of Black people not having the right to vote because during this time, they were not considered American citizens. Voting, along with many other basic human rights, were not given to them.These setbacks led to more protests for these rights to be obtained so that Black people would be able to exercise their rights. Elizabeth was one of the people who resisted against the hold of slavery. Even though she experienced trouble due to several constraints, she continued to practice her preaching in different areas of the world. Canada is just one of the areas in which she used her voice to dismantle the barriers set up for her and other women alike. Elizabeth believed that her duty, or calling, was to speak on behalf of God. However, there were questions about how Christianity in regards to politics was a part of the erasure of the narrative of female slaves.

Throughout her narrative she speaks on the brutality she faces from slavery and how she looked to Lord, reciting prayers, hoping for the Lord to save her and help her find a way through distress. Visions of life with Christ soon became a large part of Elizabeth's life. These visions of the Lord became a staple for Elizabeth’s calling for speaking in what was called public realm. Her testimony called for women to change the course of their value by putting their trust in God instead of men. Elizabeth began to hold meetings anywhere that was plausible. As Elizabeth begins her first round of ministry, another Black woman opens her home to her and allows Elizabeth to use the space to complete her mission. These meetings were remembered as offensive, given the information that she was sharing within the spaces. Her journey while traveling throughout different areas posed a threat to her wellbeing, as she was already a Black woman preaching about religion in spaces that people did not find appropriate.Her narrative and preaching was also said to be feared given her topic of discussion.

The existence of racism during this time led to gender and racial spheres that also led to some of her discouragement. Nevertheless, that did not stop Elizabeth from telling her story, and in fact the experiences that she included in her narrative could also be used as encouragement for other Black women to come forth and preach as well. Her narrative discussed the means of power and who held the power during that time. Visibly, enslaved women and women in general were lower in power. Many did not believe that a woman of color could preach anything, especially because Elizabeth had little education. However, with the Lord’s words of encouragement in mind, Elizabeth persevered to accomplish the importance of God’s work.