Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person Interviewed: Sarah Anderson
Location: 3815 W. Second Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 78?
“I don’t know when I was born. When the Civil War ended, I was bout four or five years old.
“I jes’ remember when the people come back—the soldiers—when the War ended. We chillun run under the house. That was the Yankees.
“I was born in Bibb County, Georgia. That’s where I was bred and born.
“I been in Arkansas ever since I was fourteen. That was shortly after the Civil War, I reckon. We come here when they was emigratin’ to Arkansas. I’m tellin’ you the truth, I been here a long time.
“I member when the soldiers went by and we chillun run under the house. It was the Yankee cavalry, and they made so much noise. Dat’s what the old folks told us. I member dat we run under the house and called our self hidin’.
“My master was Madison Newsome and my missis was Sarah Newsome. Named after her? Must a done it. Ma and her chillun was out wallowin’ in the dirt when the Yankees come by. Sometimes I stayed in the house with my white folks all night.
“My mother and father say they was well treated. That’s what they say.
“Old folks didn’t low us chillun round when they was talkin’ bout their business, no ma’am.
“We stayed with old master a good while after freedom—till they commenced emigratin’ from Georgia to Arkansas. Yes ma’am!
“I’m the mother of fourteen chillun—two pairs of twins. I married young—bout fifteen or sixteen, I reckon. I married a young fellow. I say we was just chaps. After he died, I married a old settled man and now he’s dead.
“I been livin’ a pretty good life. Seems like the white folks just didn’t want me to get away from their chillun.
“All my chillun dead cept one son. He was a twin.”