Slave Narrative of Charles W. Dickens

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Charles W. Dickens Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (1115 East Lenoir Street) My name is Charles W. Dickens. I lives at 1115 East Lenoir Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake County. I wuz born August 16, 1861, de year de war started. My mother wuz named Ferebee Dickens. My father wuz named John Dickens. I had nine sisters and brothers. My brothers were named Allen, Douglas, my name [HW: question mark above “my name”], Jake, Johnnie and Jonas. The girls Katie, Matilda Francis, and Emily Dickens. My grandmother wuz named Charity Dickens. My grandfather wuz Dudley … Read more

Biography of Albert Dickens

Albert Dickens. For seventeen years Albert Dickens has been connected with the Department of Instruction in the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan, and as professor of horticulture is a recognized authority in that field, not only in Kansas but throughout the Middle West. Though not born in Kansas, Mr. Dickens has lived in the state for the past forty years and is thoroughly familiar with its general agricultural conditions and its people. He was born at Anoka, Anoka County, Minnesota, October 24, 1867. When he was nine years of age his parents came to Kansas and in 1876 settled … Read more

Biography of Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens

Novelist and Social Reformer. In these days when critics so often repeat the cry of ‘art for art’s sake’ and denounce Ruskin for bringing moral canons into his judgments of pictures or buildings, it is dangerous to couple these two titles together, and to label Dickens as anything but a novelist pure and simple. And indeed, all would admit that the creator of Sam Weller and Sarah Gamp will live when the crusade against ‘Bumbledom’ and its abuses is forgotten and the need for such a crusade seems incredible. But when so many recent critics have done justice to his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Margaret E. Dickens

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Margaret E. Dickens Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (1115 E. Lenoir St.) Date of Birth: June 5th, 1861 My name is Margaret E. Dickens and I was born on the 5th of June 1861. My mother wuz free born; her name wuz Mary Ann Hews, but my mother wuz colored. I don’t remember anything about Marster and Missus. My father was named Henry Byrd. Here is some of father’s writing. My mother’s father was dark. He had no protection. If he did any work for a white man and the white man didn’t like it, … Read more