Lexington Georgia

Slave Narrative of James Bolton

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: James Bolton Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 85 “It never was the same on our plantation atter we done laid Mistess away,” said James Bolton, 85 year old mulatto ex-slave. “I ain’t never forget when Mistess died—she had been so good to every nigger on our plantation. When we got sick, Mistess allus had us tended to. The niggers on our plantation all walked to church to hear her funeral sermon and then walked to the graveyard to the buryin’.” James, shrivelled and wrinkled, with his bright eyes taking in everything on one of his … 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 Colquitt

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: Martha Colquitt Location: Athens, Georgia The aged Negress leaned heavily on her cane as she shuffled about her tiny porch in the waning sunlight of a cold January day. An airplane writing an advertising slogan in letters of smoke high in the sky was receiving but indifferent attention from Aunt Martha. Sha shivered and occasionally leaned against a post until a paroxysm of coughing subsided. “What would you have thought of that if it had suddenly appeared in the sky when you were a child?” she was asked. “It would have scared me plum … Read more