Hancock County MS

Slave Narrative of Henri Necaise

Henri Necaise, a 105-year-old former slave, recounts his life experiences during and after slavery in Harrison County, Mississippi. Born into slavery, he was separated from his mother and raised by his white father. Necaise describes his early life under the care of his master, Ursan Ladnier, and reflects on the hardships of freedom, emphasizing the lack of support from carpetbaggers post-war. He eventually established a life for himself, married a fellow former slave, and now lives with the assistance of the community.

Slave Narrative of Charlie Moses

Charlie Moses, at 84, recounts his painful memories as a slave under the cruel Jim Rankin in Marion County, Mississippi. He describes relentless labor, severe beatings, and inadequate sustenance. Moses emphasizes the fear Rankin instilled not only in slaves but his own family, emphasizing the suffering endured by his community. After the Civil War and his eventual freedom, he traveled across Louisiana for work before becoming a preacher in Brookhaven. Despite his newfound freedom, Moses remains haunted by the horrors of slavery.