ExploreDaniel Quarles served as the prototype for Jim in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and was a close friend to Mark Twain.
Faye Dant, Founding Director of Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center, was recently featured on a C-SPAN video as she discussed Daniel Quarles, the prototype for Jim in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and a personal friend to Mark Twain.
She explained that Jim’s Journey has several key focus areas, including discussing Mark Twain the humanitarian and sharing aspects of the history of the African American community in Hannibal.
Daniel Quarles and his family are an integral part of these important historical accounts. Samuel Clemens became close to “Uncle Daniel” during childhood visits to Florida, Missouri to play with his cousins. Dant explained how Clemens came to know Quarles as a man, father, husband, and caretaker to his family and friends. Clemens was the first white author to portray an enslaved person as a person in literature – instead of more of an object.
“Here at Jim’s Journey, we’re all about teaching. Our mission is to research, teach, and preserve this history – a history that has not necessarily been fully shared in the history of Hannibal,” Dant said. “But here, we not only share that history, and that we contributed to the growth of the community, but that we were here from the beginning – and the emancipated Daniel Quarles was here.”
You can view the C-SPAN feature at Founding Director of Jim’s Journey on Daniel Quarles | C-SPAN.org
