Was Miss Jane Pittman a real person?

Miss Jane Pittman is a fictional character developed by author Ernest J. Gaines. Gaines depicts Pittman as the narrator of his book, "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman."

The book is about a life in slavery through the eyes of Miss Pittman, starting in her childhood and covering a span of 100 years. Although this is a fictional story, there are many historical events and real people referred to in the story.

The book was published in 1971 and adapted to become a television movie in 1974. The television movie won nine Emmy Awards in 1974, including Best Lead Actress for Cicely Tyson's role portraying Miss Jane Pittman.