Georgia

Slave Narrative of Easter Brown

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Easter Brown Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 78 “Aunt” Easter Brown, 78 years old, was sweeping chips into a basket out in front of her cabin. “Go right in honey, I’se comin’ soon as I git some chips for my fire. Does I lak to talk ’bout when I wuz a chile? I sho does. I warn’t but 4 years old when de war wuz over, but I knows all ’bout it.” “I wuz born in Floyd County sometime in October. My pa wuz Erwin and my ma wuz Liza Lorie. I don’t know … Read more

Slave Narrative of Georgia Baker

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie Hornsby Person Interviewed: Georgia Baker Location: Athens, Georgia Georgia’s address proved to be the home of her daughter, Ida Baker. The clean-swept walks of the small yard were brightened by borders of gay colored zinnias and marigolds in front of the drab looking two-story, frame house. “Come in,” answered Ida, in response to a knock at the front door. “Yessum, Mammy’s here. Go right in dat dere room and you’ll find her.” Standing by the fireplace of the next room was a thin, very black woman engaged in lighting her pipe. A green checked gingham apron partially … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Cole

Interviewer: Edward Ficklen Person Interviewed: John Cole Location: Billups Street, Athens, Georgia Age: 86 A Slave Remembers The front door of a little vine-clad cottage on Billups Street, in Athens, Georgia quaked open and John Cole, ex-slave confronted a “gov’mint man.” Yes, he was the son of Lucius Cole and Betsy Cole, was in his 86th year, and remembered the time “way back” when other gov’mint men with their strange ways had descended on Athens. And far beyond that, back to the time when they had tried him out as a scullion boy in the big town house where his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Pierce Cody

Interviewer: Adella S. Dixon Person Interviewed: Pierce Cody Location: Georgia Pierce Cody was the eldest son of Elbert and Dorothy Cody. His father was born in Richmond, Virginia, his mother in Warren County. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, he, the eldest child in a large family, was in his early teens. This group lived on the place owned by Mr. Bob Cody, [HW: whose] family was a group of ardent believers in the Hardshell Baptist faith. So firm was their faith that a church of this denomination was provided for the slaves and each one required to become a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Kizzie Colquitt

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Kizzie Colquitt Location: Athens, Georgia Age: about 75 Old Aunt Kizzie Colquitt, about 75 years old, was busily washing in her neat kitchen. She opened the door and window frequently to let out the smoke, saying: “Dis old wore out stove don’t draw so good.” Her hands and feet were badly swollen and she seemed to be suffering. “I’ll be glad to tell all I kin ‘member ’bout dem old times,” she said. “I wuz borned durin’ de war, but I don’t ‘member what year. My pa wuz Mitchell Long. He b’longed to Marster Sam Long … Read more

Slave Narrative of Martha Everette

Interviewer: Elizabeth Watson Person Interviewed: Martha Everette Location: Hawkinsville, Georgia Age: 88 Born in Pulaski County about 1848, the daughter of Isaac and Amanda Lathrop, Martha Everette has lived all her life near where she was born. Prior to freedom, her first job was “toting in wood”, from which she was soon “promoted” to waiting on the table, house cleaning, etc. She make no claims to have ever “graduated” as a cook, as so many old before-the-war Negresses do. “Aunt” Martha’s owner was a kind man: he never whipped the slaves, but the overseer “burnt ’em up sometimes.” And her … 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 Berry Clay

Interviewer: Adella S. Dixon Person Interviewed: Berry Clay Location: Macon, Georgia Age: 89 Telfair County was the home of some colored people who never were slaves, but hired their services for wages just as the race does today. Berry Clay, half Indian, half white, was the son of Fitema Bob Britt, a full blood Indian, who died shortly after his son’s birth. His mother later married William Clay, whose name was taken by the children as well as the mother. The family then moved to Macon. Clay, next [TR: ‘to the’ scratched out] oldest of five children was 89 years … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rev. Eli Boyd

Person Interviewed: Rev. Eli Boyd Location: Dade County, Florida Dade County, Florida, Folklore Ex-Slaves Reverend Eli Boyd was born May 29, 1864, four miles from Somerville, South Carolina on John Murray’s plantation. It was a large plantation with perhaps one hundred slaves and their families. As he was only a tiny baby when freedom came, he had no “recomembrance” of the real slavery days, but he lived on the same plantation for many years until his father and mother died in 1888. “I worked on the plantation just like they did in the real slavery days, only I received a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lindsey Moore

Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Lindsey Moore Location: Palatka, Florida Age: 87 Occupation: Blacksmith, leather-tanner, ex-marble shooting champion, weaving-and-spinning An Ex-Slave Who Was Resourceful In a little blacksmith shop at 1114 Madison Street, Palatka, is a busy little horse-shoer who was born in slavery eighty-seven years ago. “Lindsey Moore”, blacksmith, leather-tanner ex-marble shooting champion and a number of other things, represents one of the most resourceful former slaves yet found in the state. Moore was born in 1850 on the plantation of John B. Overtree, in Forsythe County, Georgia. He was one of the six children of Eliza Moore; all … Read more

Slave Narrative of Annie Trip

Person Interviewed: Annie Trip Location: Dade County, Florida “My name’s Annie Trip. How my name’s Trip, I married a Trip, but I was borned in Georgia in the country not so very far from Thomasville. I’m sure you must ha’ heard of Thomasville, Georgia. Well, that’s where I was borned, on Captain Hamlin’s plantation. “Captain Hamlin, he was a greatest lawyer. Henry Hamlin, you know he was the greatest lawyer what ever was, so dey tell me. You see I was small. My mother and father and four brothers all lived there together. Some of the rest were too small … Read more

Slave Narrative of Hattie Thomas

Person Interviewed: Hattie Thomas Location: Dade County, Florida Hattie Thomas was six years old when peace was declared. She was ‘borned’ near Custer, Ga. on Bob Morris’ plantation. At the tender age of five, she can remember of helping to care for the other children, some of whom were her own brothers and children, for her mother kept her eight children with her. Bob Morris’ plantation being a large one, the problem of feeding all the slaves and their children was, in itself, a large one. Hattie can well remember of ‘towing’ the milk to the long wooden troughs for … Read more

Slave Narrative of Bill Austin

Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Bill Austin Location: Greenwood, Florida Bill Austin – he says his name is NOT Williams – is an ex-slave who gained his freedom because his mistress found it more advantageous to free him than to watch him. Austin lives near Greenwood, Jackson County, Florida, on a small farm that he and his children operate. He says that he does not know his age, does not remember ever having heard it. But he must be pretty old, he says, “cause I was a right smart size when Mistuh Smith went off to fight.” He thinks he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Samuel Simeon Andrews

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Samuel Simeon Andrews Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 86 For almost 30 years Edward Waters College, an African Methodist Episcopal School, located on the north side of Kings Road in the western section of Jacksonville, has employed as watchman, Samuel Simeon Andrews (affectionately called “Parson”), a former slave of A.J. Lane of Georgia, Lewis Ripley of Beaufort, South Carolina, Ed Tillman of Dallas, Texas, and John Troy of Union Springs, Alabama. “Parson” was born November 18, 1850 in Macon, Georgia, at a place called Tatum Square, where slaves were held, housed and sold. “Speculators” (persons … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel G. Tracy

It is a pleasure to chronicle the history of a man whose life has been one of honor and usefulness, and although he is considerably past the zenith of his career, Mr. Tracy has accumulated sufficient means to enable him to enjoy most thoroughly the comforts and conveniences of life and the society of his numerous friends. Although he has attained the age of sixty-six years he still keeps up the active and industrious life that brought him in such substantial rewards, and many men much younger than he display less activity, mentally and physically than does Mr. Tracy. He … Read more

Slave Narrative of Irene Coates

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Irene Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Immediately after slavery in the United States, the southern white people found themselves without servants. Women who were accustomed to having a nurse, maid, cook and laundress found themselves without sufficient money to pay wages to all these. There was a great amount of work to be done and the great problem confronting married women who had not been taught to work and who thought it beneath their standing to soil their hands, found it very difficult. There were on the other hand many Negro women who needed work … Read more

Slave Narrative of “Father” Charles Coates

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: “Father” Charles Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 108 “Father” Charles Coates, as he is called by all who know him, was born a slave, 108 years ago at Richmond, Virginia, on the plantation of a man named L’Angle. His early boyhood days was spent on the L’Angle place filled with duties such as minding hogs, cows, bringing in wood and such light work. His wearing apparel consisted of one garment, a shirt made to reach below the knees and with three-quarter sleeves. He wore no shoes until he was a man past 20 years … Read more

Slave Narrative of Willis Dukes

Interviewer: Pearl RandolphPerson Interviewed: Willis DukesLocation: Madison, FloridaAge: 83 Born in Brooks County, Georgia, 83 years ago on February 24th, Willie Dukes jovially declares that he is “on the high road to livin’ a hund’ed years.” He was one of 40 slaves belonging to one John Dukes, who was only in moderate circumstances. His parents were Amos and Mariah Dukes, both born on this plantation, he thinks. As they were a healthy pair they were required to work long hours in the fields, although the master was not actually cruel to them. On this plantation a variety of products was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rebecca Hooks

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Rebecca Hooks Location: Lake City, Florida Age: 90 Rebecca Hooks, age 90 years, is one of the few among the fast-thinning ranks of ex-slaves who can give a clear picture of life “befo’ de wah.” She was born in Jones County, Georgia of Martha and Pleasant Lowe, who were slaves of William Lowe. The mother was the mulatto offspring of William Lowe and a slave woman who was half Cherokee. The father was also a mulatto, purchased from a nearby plantation. Because of this blood mixture Rebecca’s parents were known as “house niggers,” and lived … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mack Mullen

Interviewer: J. M. Johnson Person Interviewed: Mack Mullen Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 79 Mack Mullen, a former slave who now lives at 521 W. First Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was born in Americus, Georgia in 1857, eight years before Emancipation, on a plantation which covered an area of approximately five miles. Upon this expansive plantation about 200 slaves lived and labored. At its main entrance stood a large white colonial mansion. In this abode lived Dick Snellings, the master, and his family. The Snellings plantation produced cotton, corn, oats, wheat, peanuts, potatoes, cane and other commodities. The live stock consisted primarily … Read more