William Walker was born in Virginia around 1819 or 1820, where he lived until 1841 when he was sold and taken to Louisiana. He describes the cruel treatment that he and other slaves received from their masters. After his master in New Orleans died, he was sold to a farmer in Missouri where he escaped and ran to Michigan. A continuing theme is his desire to see his mother again. In 1866, he was accused of killing his neighbor who had threatened to kill him for being with his wife. Walker was sentenced to life in prison. The rest of the narrative tells of the horrible conditions in Jackson Prison.