Slave Narratives

Federal Writers’ Project. WPA Slave Narratives. Web. 2007-2024. The WPA Slave Narratives must be used with care. There is, of course, the problem of confusion in memory resulting from (73+ years) of the participants. In addition, inexperienced interviewers sometimes pursued question lines related to their own interests and perspectives and attempted to capture the colloquialism of the informant’s speech. The interviews provide fascinating insight and surprisingly candid information, however.

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Hannah Davidson

Interviewer: K. Osthimer Person Interviewed: Hannah Davidson Location: Toledo, Ohio Place of Birth: Ballard County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1852 Place of Residence: 533 Woodland Avenue, Toledo, Ohio Mrs. Hannah Davidson occupies two rooms in a home at 533 Woodland Avenue, Toledo, Ohio. Born on a plantation in Ballard County, Kentucky, in 1852, she is today a little, white haired old lady. Dark, flashing eyes peer through her spectacles. Always quick to learn, she has taught herself to read. She says, “I could always spell almost everything.” She has eagerly sought education. Much of her ability to read has been … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Emmaline Heard

Person Interviewed: Emmaline Heard Location: 239 Cain Street On December 3 and 4, 1936, Mrs. Emmaline Heard was interviewed at her home, 239 Cain Street. The writer had visited Mrs. Heard previously, and it was at her own request that another visit was made. This visit was supposed to be one to obtain information and stories on the practice of conjure. On two previous occasions Mrs. Heard’s stories had proved very interesting, and I knew as I sat there waiting for her to begin that she had something very good to tell me. She began: “Chile, this story wuz told … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Duncan

WAYNE CO. (Gertrude Vogler) [Mrs. Duncan:] “After the War was over mammie’s old man did not want us with them, so he threatened to kill us. Then my old mammie fixed us a little bundle of what few clothes we had and started us two children out to go back to the Campbell family in Albany. The road was just a wilderness and full of wild animals and varmints. Mammie gave us some powder and some matches, telling us to put a little down in the road every little while and set fire to it. This would scare the wild … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. Celestia Avery

Interviewer: Ross Person Interviewed: Celestia Avery Location: Georgia Place of Birth: Troupe County, LaGrange GA Age: 75 “A Few Facts Of Slavery” As Told By Celestia Avery—ex-Slave [MAY 8 1937] Mrs. Celestia Avery is a small mulatto woman about 5 ft. in height. She has a remarkably clear memory in view of the fact that she is about 75 years of age. Before the interview began she reminded the writer that the facts to be related were either told to her by her grandmother, Sylvia Heard, or were facts which she remembered herself. Mrs. Avery was born 75 years ago … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mrs. C. Hood

The Story of Mrs. C. Hood: Once upon a time during the Civil War my grandmother was alone with just one old faithful servant. The Union troops had just about taken everything she had, except three prize saddle horses and one coal black mare which she rode all the time. She was very fond of the mare and valued it very much. One night my grandmother heard a noise, and called old Joe to go to the barn and see what was the matter. As he was nearing the barn someone yelled “Halt”; and Joe being a black man and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mr. McIntosh

LESLIE CO. (Viola Bowling) McIntosh was a very progressive farmer and had a large supply of food, being a Rebel of the Rebel Army camped at the mouth of this creek near his home where they could secure food. He had a slave called “Henry McIntosh” who was drafted into the Union Army. He did not want to go but his master told him, “Well Henry you will have to go, do not steal, nor lie and be good and when you get out come on back.” He did come back and stayed here until he died, he later married … Read more

Slave Narrative of Moses Smith

I was born in New Orleans, but don’t remember anything about that place for I was sold to Master Jack Dunn when a little boy and moved to Paris, Texas. Master Jack and his wife, Suda, owned four pretty big farms around Paris and he was kept busy all the time going around to each of them, with me going along sometimes on a horse beside him. He’d be gone for a week at a time, come home and get some home cooking, clean up and be gone again. There was twelve slave families on the farm where I lived … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mose Davis

Interviewer: Edwin Driskell Person Interviewed: Mose Davis Location: Atlanta, Georgia In one of Atlanta’s many alleys lives Mose Davis, an ex-slave who was born on a very large plantation 12 miles from Perry, Georgia. His master was Colonel Davis, a very rich old man, who owned a large number of slaves in addition to his vast property holdings. Mose Davis says that all the buildings on this plantation were whitewashed, the lime having been secured from a corner of the plantation known as “the lime sink”. Colonel Davis had a large family and so he had to have a large … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mose Banks

Interviewer: Pernella M. Anderson Person Interviewed: Mose Banks Location: Douglas Addition, El Dorado, Arkansas Age: 69 “My name is Mose Banks and I am sixty-nine years old. I was born in 1869. I was born four years after freedom but still I was a slave in a way. My papa stayed with his old miss and master after freedom until he died and he just died in 1918, so we all stayed with him too. I had one of the best easiest times in my life. My master was name Bob Stevenson and he was a jewel. Never meaned us, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Morris Sheppard

Person Interviewed: Morris Sheppard Location: Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Date of Birth: November, 1852 Age: 85 Old Master tell me I was borned in November 1852, at de old home place about five miles east of Webbers Falls, mebbe kind of northeast, not far from de east bank of de Illinois River. Master’s name was Joe Sheppard, and he was a Cherokee Indian. Tall and slin and handsome. He had black eyes and mustache but his hair was iron gray, and everybody liked him because he was so good-natured and kind. I don’t remember old Mistress’ name. My mammy was a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Morris Hillyer

Person Interviewed: Morris Hillyer Location: Alderson, Oklahoma Age: 84 My father was Gabe Hillyer and my mother was Clarisay Hillyer, and our home was in Rose, Georgia. Our owner was Judge Hillyer. He was de last United States senator to Washington, D. C., before de war. My mother died when I was only a few days old and the only mother I ever knew was Judge Hillyer’s wife, Miss Jane. Her nine children were all older than I was and when mother died Miss Jane said mother had raised her children and she would raise here. So she took us … Read more

Slave Narrative of Morgan Scurry

Interviewer: G. Leland Summer Person Interviewed: Morgan Scurry Date of Interview: May 19, 1937 Location: Newberry, South Carolina Place of Birth: Newberry County SC “I was born in Newberry County, near the Laurens County line, above Chappells Depot. My father and mother were Tom and Francis Scurry and belonged as slaves to the Drury Scurry family. Dr. Drury Scurry bought them from Col. Cooper of Laurens County. He was a fine man and mighty good to his slaves. I worked around the house as a boy, and in the fields when I got old enough. Some of the nigger boys … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: May 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “Honey, my white folks been well-to-do peoples. Dey ain’ been no poor white trash. Dey hab ‘stonishing blood in dey vein. I been b’long to Massa Sam Stevenson wha’ lib right down dere ‘cross Ole Smith Swamp. Dey ain’ hab no chillun dey own, but dey is raise uh poor white girl dere, Betty. Dey gi’e (give) she eve’yt’ing she ha’e en dey school she too.” “De ole man, he mind ain’ been zactly right when he die. Dey say he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: May 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “I dunno, child, I don’ ‘member nuthin more den I tell yuh de udder time. Is yuh been to see Maggie Black yet? I dunno how old she, but I know she been here. No, child, Maggie ain’ dead. She lib right down dere next Bethel Church. She move ‘way from Miss Mullins house when Gus die. Coase I ain’ ne’er been in she house a’ter she move dere, but dey say she hab uh mighty restful place dere. Dat wha’ … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: September 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “No, honey, dere ain’ not a soul live here but me. Man stay in dat other room dere just to be a little bit of company for me when night come. He ain’ not a speck of kin to me, not a speck. Oh, he pay me a little somethin, but it not much. Mostly, I does want him for protection like. Ain’ got but just dis one room for myself cause dat part out dere does be just like out … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: December 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “No, I ain’ cold. I settin in de sun. Miss Ida, she went by here just now en call at me bout de door been open en lettin dat cold wind blow in on my back wid all de fire gone out. I tell her, it ain’ botherin me none, I been settin out in de sun. Well, I don’ feel much to speak bout, child, but I knockin round somehow. Miss Ida, she bring me dis paper to study on. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Genia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Genia Woodberry Date of Interview: June 1937 Location: Britton’s Neck, South Carolina Age: 89 “Glad to see yunnah. Who dese udder wid yah? Who yuh? Lawd, I glad to see yunnah. I nu’se aw Miss Susan fust chillun. Ne’er nu’se dem las’uns. Sicily been yo’ mamma nu’se. Nu’se Massa Ben Gause child fust en den I nu’se four head uv Miss Susan chillun a’ter she marry Massa Jim Stevenson. Sleep right dere wid dem chillun aw de time. Miss Susan ne’er didn’t suckle none uv dem chillun. I tell yunnah dis much, Massa Jim … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mollie Williams

Person Interviewed: Mollie Williams Location: Terry, Mississippi Age: 83 Mollie Williams, who lives two miles west of Terry, Miss., tells her story: “Iffen I lives’ til nex’ September 15, I’ll be eighty fo’! I was born ’bout three miles frum Utica on de Newsome place. Me an’ brudder Hamp b’longed to Marse George Newsome. Marse George was named afte’ George Washington up in Virginny whar he come frum. Miss Margurite was our mistiss. My mammy? Well, I’ll have to tell you now ’bout her. “You see, Marse George come off down here frum Virginny lak young folks venturin’ ’bout, an’ … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mittie Blakeley

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Mittie Blakeley Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Oxford, Missouri Date of Birth: 1858 Place of Residence: 2055 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE MRS. MITTIE BLAKELEY-EX-SLAVE 2055 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Mrs. Blakeley was born, in Oxford, Missouri, in 1858. Her mother died when Mittie was a baby, and she was taken into the “big house” and brought up with the white children. She was always treated very kindly. Her duties were the light chores, which had to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Miss Adeline Blakeley

Interviewer: Mary D. Hudgins Person Interviewed: Miss Adeline Blakely Age: 87 Home: 101 Rock Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas “Honey, look in the bible to get the date when I was born. We want to have it just right. Yes, here’s the place, read it to me. July 10, 1850? Yes, I remember now, that’s what they’ve always told me. I wanted to be sure, though. I was born in Hickman County, Tenn. and was about a year when they brought me to Arkansas. My mother and her people had been bought by Mr. John P. Parks when they were just children—John … Read more