Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States | Page 5

it on mine. An' I been wearin' it ever since.

N. C. District: No. 2 [320276] Worker: Mary A. Hicks No. Words: 402 Subject: Ex-Slave Story Person Interviewed: Martha Allen Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt
[TR: Date Stamp "JUN 7 1937"]
[HW: good short sketch]
EX-SLAVE STORY
An interview with Martha Allen, 78, of 1318 South Person Street, Raleigh.
I wuz borned in Craven County seventy eight years ago. My pappa wuz named Andrew Bryant an' my mammy wuz named Harriet. My brothers wuz John Franklin, Alfred, an' Andrew. I ain't had no sisters. I reckon dat we is what yo' call a general mixture case I am part Injun, part white, an' part nigger.
My mammy belonged ter Tom Edward Gaskin an' she wuzn't half fed. De cook nussed de babies while she cooked, so dat de mammies could wuck in de fiel's, an' all de mammies done wuz stick de babies in at de kitchen do' on dere way ter de fiel's. I'se hyard mammy say dat dey went ter wuck widout breakfast, an' dat when she put her baby in de kitchen she'd go by de slop bucket an' drink de slops from a long handled gourd.
De slave driver wuz bad as he could be, an' de slaves got awful beatin's.
De young marster sorta wanted my mammy, but she tells him no, so he chunks a lightwood knot an' hits her on de haid wid it. Dese white mens what had babies by nigger wimmens wuz called 'Carpet Gitters'. My father's father wuz one o' dem.
Yes mam, I'se mixed plenty case my mammy's grandmaw wuz Cherokee Injun.
I doan know nothin' 'bout no war, case marster carried us ter Cedar Falls, near Durham an' dar's whar we come free.
I 'members dat de Ku Klux uster go ter de Free Issues houses, strip all de family an' whup de ole folkses. Den dey dances wid de pretty yaller gals an' goes ter bed wid dem. Dat's what de Ku Klux wuz, a bunch of mean mens tryin' ter hab a good time.
I'se wucked purty hard durin' my life an' I done my courtin' on a steer an' cart haulin' wood ter town ter sell. He wuz haulin' wood too on his wagin, an' he'd beat me ter town so's dat he could help me off'n de wagin. I reckon dat dat wuz as good a way as any.
I tries ter be a good christian but I'se got disgusted wid dese young upstart niggers what dances in de chu'ch. Dey says dat dey am truckin' an' dat de Bible ain't forbid hit, but I reckin dat I knows dancin' whar I sees hit.

N. C. District: No. 2 [ ] Worker: Mrs. Edith S. Hibbs No. Words: 275 Subject: Story of Joseph Anderson Interviewed: Joseph Anderson 113 Rankin St., Wilmington, N. C. Edited: Mrs. W. N. Harriss
[TR: No Date Stamp]
[HW: Unnumbered]
STORY OF JOSEPH ANDERSON
1113 Rankin Street Wilmington, N. C.
Yes'm I was born a slave. I belong to Mr. T. C. McIlhenny who had a big rice plantation "Eagles Nest" in Brunswick County. It was a big place. He had lots of slaves, an' he was a good man. My mother and father died when I was fourteen. Father died in February 1865 and my mother died of pneumonia in November 1865. My older sister took charge of me.
Interviewer: "Can you read and write?"
Joseph: "Oh yes, I can write a little. I can make my marks. I can write my name. No'm I can't read. I never went to school a day in my life. I just "picked up" what I know."
I don't remember much about slave times. I was fourteen when I was freed. After I was freed we lived between 8th and 9th on Chestnut. We rented a place from Dan O'Connor a real estate man and paid him $5 a month rent. I've been married twice. First time was married by Mr. Ed Taylor, magistrate in Southport, Brunswick County. I was married to my first wife twenty years and eight months. Then she died. I was married again when I was seventy-five years old. I was married to my second wife just a few years when she died.
I was on the police force for a year and a half. I was elected April 6, 1895. Mr. McIlhenny was an ole man then an' I used to go to see him.
I was a stevedore for Mr. Alexander Sprunt for sixty years.
Joseph is now buying his house at 1113 Rankin Street. Rents part of it for $8.50 a month to pay for it. He stays in one room.
NOTE: Joseph's health is none too good, making information sketchy and incoherent.

N. C. District: No. 2 [320086] Worker: T. Pat Matthews No. Words: 1905 Subject: MARY ANDERSON Person Interviewed: Mary Anderson Editor: G. L. Andrews
[TR: Date Stamp "AUG 23 1937"]
MARY ANDERSON
86 years