Slave Narrative of Della Bess Hilyard
Della Bess Hilyard, born in 1858 in South Carolina, recounts her experiences as a slave on the Hiwards plantation. She describes her childhood spent working in the cotton fields alongside her parents, who were also slaves. Although they were allowed to seek education, no formal teaching was provided. Religious instruction focused on obedience rather than spiritual hope. After the Civil War, she married and relocated to Georgia, later moving to Florida. Now settled in Titusville, she reflects on her life as a remnant of a past era.