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SLAVE NARRATIVES

A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves

TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936-1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

WASHINGTON 1941

VOLUME II

ARKANSAS NARRATIVES

PART 5

Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Arkansas

INFORMANTS

McClendon, Charlie McCloud, Lizzie McConico, Avalena McCoy, Ike McDaniel, Richard H. McIntosh, Waters Mack, Cresa McKinney, Warren McMullen, Victoria Madden, Nannie P. Madden, Perry Mann, Lewis Martin, Angeline Martin, Josie Mathis, Bess Matthews, Caroline Maxwell, Malindy Maxwell, Nellie May, Ann Mayes, Joe Meeks, Rev. Jesse Metcalf, Jeff Miller, Hardy Miller, Henry Kirk Miller, Matilda Miller, Nathan Miller, Sam Miller, W.D. Minser, Mose Minton, Gip Mitchell, A.J. Mitchell, Gracie Mitchell, Hettie Mitchell, Mary Mitchell, Moses Moon, Ben Moore, Emma Moore, Patsy Moorehead, Ada Mooreman, Mary Jane Morgan, Evelina Morgan, James Morgan, Olivia Morgan, Tom Morris, Charity Morris, Emma Moss, Claiborne Moss, Frozie Moss, Mose Mullins, S.O. Murdock, Alex Myers, Bessie Myhand, Mary Myrax, Griffin

Neal, Tom Wylie Nealy , Sally Nealy, Wylie Neland, Emaline Nelson, Henry Nelson, Iran Nelson, James Henry Nelson, John Nelson, Lettie Nelson, Mattie Newborn, Dan Newsom, Sallie Newton, Pete Norris, Charlie

Oats, Emma Odom, Helen Oliver, Jane Osborne, Ivory Osbrook, Jane

Page, Annie Parker, Fannie Parker, J.M. Parker, Judy Parker, R.F. Parks, Annie Parnell, Austin Pen Parr, Ben Patterson, Frank A. Patterson, John Patterson, Sarah Jane Pattillo, Solomon P. Patton, Carry Allen Payne, Harriett McFarlin Payne, John Payne, Larkin Perkins, Cella Perkins, Marguerite Perkins, Rachel Perry, Dinah Peters, Alfred Peters, Mary Estes Peterson, John Pettis, Louise Pettus, Henry C. Phillips, Dolly Piggy, Tony Pittman, Ella Pittman, Sarah Poe, Mary Pollacks, W.L. Pope, John Porter, William Potter, Bob Prayer, Louise

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person interviewed: Charlie McClendon 708 E. Fourth Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 77

"I don't know exactly how old I am. I was six or seven when the war ended. I member dis--my mother said I was born on Christmas day. Old master was goin' to war and he told her to take good care of that boy--he was goin' to make a fine little man.

"I been in Jefferson County all my life. I went to school three or four sessions.

"About the war, I member dis--I member they carried us to Camden and I saw the guards. I'd say, 'Give me a pistol.' They'd say, 'Come back tomorrow and we'll give you one.' They had me runnin' back there every day and I never did get one. They was Yankee soldiers.

"Our folks' master was William E. Johnson. Oh Lord, they was just as good to us as could be to be under slavery.

"After they got free my people stayed there a year or two and then our master broke up and went back to South Carolina and the folks went in different directions. Oh Lord, my parents sho was well treated. Yes ma'm. If he had a overseer, he wouldn't low him to whip the folks. He'd say, 'Just leave em till I come home.' Then he'd give em a light breshin'.

"My father run off and stay in the woods one or two months. Old master say, 'Now, Jordan, why you run off? Now I'm goin' to give you a light breshin' and don't you run off again.' But he'd run off again after awhile.

"He had one man named Miles Johnson just stayed in the woods so he put him on the block and sold him.

"I seed the Ku Klux. We colored folks had to make it here to Pine Bluff to the county band. If the Rebels kotch you, you was dead.

"Oh Lord yes, I voted. I voted the Publican ticket, they called it. You know they had this Australia ballot. You was sposed to go in the caboose and vote. They like to scared me to death one time. I had a description of the man I wanted to vote for in my pocket and I was lookin' at it so I'd be sure to vote for the right man and they caught me. They said, 'What you doin' there? We're goin' to turn you over to the sheriff after election!' They had me scared to death. I hid out for a long time till I seed they wasn't goin' to do nothin'.

"My wife's brother was one of the judges of the election. Some of the other colored folks was constables and magistrates--some of em are now--down in the country.

"I knew a lot about things but I knew I was in the United States and had to bow to the law. There was the compromise they give the colored folks--half of the offices and then they got em out afterwards. John M. Clayton was runnin' for the senate and say he goin' to see the colored people had equal rights, but they killed him as he was gwine through the country speakin'.

"The white people have treated me very well but they don't pay us enough for our work--just enough to live on and hardly that. I can say with a clear conscience that if it hadn't been for this relief, I don't know what I'd do--I'm not able to work. I'm proud that God Almighty put the spirit in the man to help us."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person interviewed: Lizzie McCloud 1203 Short 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 120?

"I was one of 'em bless your heart. Yes ma'm, Yes ma'm, I wouldn't tell you a lie 'bout that. If I can't tell you the truth I'm not goin' tell you nothin'!

"Oh yes, I was a young lady in slavery times--bred and born in Tennessee. Miss Lizzie and Marse John Williams--I belonged to them--sho did! I was scared to death of the white folks. Miss Lizzie--she mean as the devil. She wouldn't step her foot on the ground, she so rich. No ma'm wouldn't put her foot on the ground. Have her carriage drive up to the door and have that silk carpet put down for her to walk on. Yes Lord. Wouldn't half feed us and they went and named me after her.

"I know all about the stars fallin'. I was out in the field and just come in to get our dinner. Got so dark and the stars begin to play aroun'. Mistress say, 'Lizzie, it's the judgment.' She was just a hollerin'. Yes ma'm I was a young woman. I been here a long time, yes ma'm, I been here a long time. Worked and whipped, too. I run off many a time. Run off to see my mammy three or four miles from where I was.

"I never was sold but they took we young women and brought us down in the country to another plantation where they raised corn, wheat, and hay. Overseer whipped us too. Marse John had a brother named Marse Andrew and he was a good man. He'd say to the overseer, 'Now don't whip these girls so much, they can't work.' Oh, he was a good man. Oh, white folks was the devil in slavery tines. I was scared to death of 'em. They'd have these long cow hide whips. Honey, I was treated bad. I seen a time in this world.

"Oh Lord, yes, that was long 'fore the war. I was right down on my master's place when it started. They said it was to free the niggers. Oh Lord, we was right under it in Davidson County where I come from. Oh Lord, yes, I knowed all about when the war started. I'se a young woman, a young woman. We was treated just like dogs and hogs. We seed a hard time--I know what I'm talkin' about.

"Oh God, I seed the Yankees. I saw it all. We was so scared we run under the house and the Yankees called 'Come out Dinah' . They said 'Dinah, we're fightin' to free you and get you out from under bondage.' I sure understood that but I didn't have no better sense than to go back to mistress.

"Oh Lord, yes, I seed the Ku Klux. They didn't bother me cause I didn't stay where they could; I was way under the house.

"Yankees burned up everything Marse John had. I looked up the pike and seed the Yankees a coming'. They say 'We's a fightin' for you, Dinah!' Yankees walked in, chile, just walked right in on us. I tell you I've seed a time. You talkin' 'bout war--you better wish no more war come. I know when the war started. The Secessors on this side and the Yankees on that side. Yes, Miss, I seen enough. My brother went and jined the Secessors and they killed him time he got in the war.

"No, Missy, I never went to no school. White folks never learned me nothin'. I believes in tellin' white folks the truth.

"White folks didn't 'low us to marry so I never married till I come to Arkansas and that was one year after surrender.

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person interviewed: Lizzie McCloud 1203 E. Short 13th Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 103

"Well, where you been? I been wonderin' 'bout you. Yes Lawd. You sure is lookin' fine.

"Yes, honey, I was bred and bawn in Davidson County, Tennessee. Come here one year after surrender.

"My daughter there was a baby jus' sittin' alone, now, sittin' alone when I come here to this Arkansas. I know what I'm talkin' about.

"Lizzie Williams, my old missis, was rich as cream. Yes Lawd! I know all about it 'cause I worked for 'em.

"I was a young missis when the War started. I was workin' for my owners then. I knowed when they was free--when they said they was free.

"The Yankees wouldn't call any of the colored women anything but Dinah. I didn't know who they was till they told us. Said, 'Dinah, we's comin' to free you.'

"The white folks didn't try to scare us 'bout the Yankees 'cause they was too scared theirselves. Them Yankees wasn't playin'; they was fitin'. Yes, Jesus!

"Had to work hard--and whipped too. Wasn't played with. Mars Andrew come in the field a heap a times and say, 'Don't whip them women so hard, they can't work.' I thought a heap of Mars Andrew.

"I used to see the Yankees ridin' hosses and them breastplates a shining'. Yes Lawd. I'd run and they'd say, 'Dinah, we ain't gwine hurt you.' Lawd, them Yankees didn't care for nothin'. Oh, they was fine.

"My husband was a soldier--a Yankee. Yes ma'am. They sends me thirty dollars every month, before the fourth. Postman brings it right to me here at the house. They treats me nice.

"When I come here, I landed on John Clayton's place. He was a Yankee and he was a good white man too.

"I'm the onliest one left now in my family."

Interviewer: Mrs. Irene Robertson Person Interviewed: Avalena McConico on the west of Brinkley, Arkansas Age: 40

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