Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks
Person Interviewed: Julia Crenshaw
Location: North Carolina
As Julia Crenshaw recalled her mother’s story.
My mammy wuz named Jane an’ my pappy wuz named Richard. Dey belonged ter Lawyer R. J. Lewis in Raleigh, dar whar Peace Institute am ter day. Mammy said dat de white folkses wuz good ter dem an’ gib ’em good food an’ clothes. She wuz de cook, an’ fer thirty years atter de war she cooked at Peace.
Before de Yankees come Mr. Lewis said, dat he dreamed dat de yard wuz full uv dem an’ he wuz deef. When dey comed he played deef so dat he won’t have ter talk ter ’em. Him he am dat proud.
Mammy said dat she ain’t cared ’bout been’ free case she had a good home, but atter all slavery wusn’t de thing fer America.