Washington Georgia

Slave Narrative of Willis Cofer

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Willis Cofer Location: Athens, Georgia Willis was enjoying the warm sunshine of an April morning as he sat on his small porch. Apparently, he was pleased because someone actually wanted to hear him talk about himself. His rheumatism had been painful ever since that last bad cold had weakened him, but he felt sure the sunshine would “draw out all the kinks.” Having observed the amenities in regard to health and weather, the old man proceeded with his story: “Eden and Calline Cofer was my pa and ma and us all lived on de big … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alice Bradley

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Alice Bradley Location: Athens, Georgia Alice Bradley, or “Aunt Alice” as she is known to everybody, “runs cards” and claims to be a seeress. Apologetic and embarrassed because she had overslept and was straightening her room, she explained that she hadn’t slept well because a dog had howled all night and she was uneasy because of this certain forerunner of disaster. “Here t’is Sunday mornin’ and what wid my back, de dog, and de rheumatics in my feets, its [TR: ‘done’ crossed out] too late to go to church, so come in honey I’se glad … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mariah Callaway

Warning 26 March 2021. It has come to my attention that Mariah Callaway, is being mischaracterized by some articles online as having been born on the Callaway plantation in Washington, Georgia. This is incorrect. Calloway is the married name of Mariah. She was born on James (Jim) H. Willis plantation. The original opinion piece, written by Will Bunch, and published in the Philadelphia Enquirer on 26 Mar 2021, properly places Mariah’s birth on the Willis plantation. Some subsequent articles which quote the original, have since misrepresented this fact. Interviewer: RossPerson Interviewed: Mariah CallawayLocation: Georgia [TR: A significant portion of this … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alice Lewis

Interviewer: Ellen B. Warfield Person Interviewed: Alice Lewis Location: Baltimore, Maryland Place of Birth: Wilkes County, Georgia Age: 84 (Alice Lewis, ex-slave, 84, years old, in charge of sewing-room at Provident Hospital (Negro), Baltimore. Tall, slender, erect, her head crowned by abundant snow white wool, with a fine carriage and an air of poise mud self respect good to behold, Alice belies her 84 years.) “Yes’m, I was born in slavery, I don’t look it, but I was! Way down in Wilkes County, Georgia, nigh to a little town named Washington which ain’t so far from Augusta. My pappy, he … Read more