I never heard of no plantations being divided.  They never give us nothing, not nothing.  Right after the war was the worse times we ever have had.  We ain’t had no sich hard times since then.  The white folks got all was made.  It was best we could do.  The Yankees what camped down there told us about the surrender.  If the colored folks had started an uprisin the white folks would have set the hounds on us and killed us.

I never heard of the Ku Klux Klan ever being in Texas.  Gus Taylor was the ridin boss and he was Ku Klux enough.  Everybody was scared not to mind him.  He rode over three or four hundred acres of ground.  He could beat any fellow under him.  I never did see anybody sold.  I never was sold.  We was glad to be set free.  I didn’t know what it would be like.  It was just like opening the door and lettin the bird fly out.  He might starve, or freeze, or be killed pretty soon but he just felt good because he was free.  We show did have a hard time getting along right after we was set free.  The white folks what had money wouldn’t pay nothing much for work.  All the slaves was in confusion.

A cousin of mine saw Dr. Hazen down in Texas and they all come back to work his land.  They wrote to us about it being so fine for hunting.  I always liked to hunt so I rode a pony and come to them.  The white folks in Texas told the Yankees what to do after the surrender; get off the land.  We didn’t never vote there but I voted in Arkansas.  Mr. Abel Rinehardt always hope me.  I could trust him.  I don’t vote now.  No colored people held office in Texas or here that I heard of.

I got nothing to say bout the way the young generation is doing.

I farmed around Hazen nearly ever since the Civil War.  I saved $300 and bought this here house.  My son was killed in the World War and I get his insurance every month.  I hunted with Colonel Yapp and fed his dogs.  He never paid me a cent for taking care of the dogs.  His widow never as much as give me a dog.  She never give me nothing!

I’m too old to worry bout the present conditions.  They ain’t gettin no better.  I sees dot.

Interviewer:  Bernice Bowden
Person Interviewed:  Edward Bradley
                    115 South Plum Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  70

“I was seventy years old this last past June, the sixth day.  Lots of people say I don’t look that old but I’m sure seventy and I’ve done a lot of hard work in my day.  One thing, I’ve taken good care of myself.  I never did lose much sleep.

“I farmed forty years of my life.  Been in this State thirty-seven years.  I was born in Hardin County, Tennessee.  I disremember what age I was when I left Tennessee.

“My mother was named Mary Bradley and my father was named Hilliard Bradley.  They originated in Alabama and was sold there, and they was free when they come to Tennessee.

“Bradley was the last man owned ’em.  I think Beaumont sold ’em to Bradley.  That’s the way I always heered ’em talk.  I think they claimed their owners was pretty good to ’em.  I know I heered my father say he never did get a whippin’ from either one of ’em.