was good.  I didn’t recollect much but seeing them pass the road.  I like to watch ’em.  My parents was field folks.  I worked in the field.  I was raised to work.  I keep my clothes clean.  I washed ’em.  I cooked and washed and ironed and done field work all.  When I first recollect Marianna, Mr. Lon Tau and Mr. Free Landing (?) had stores here.  Dr. Steven (Stephen?) and Dr. Nunnaly run a drug store here.  There was a big road here.  Folks started building houses here and there.  They called the town Mary Ann fo’ de longest time.

“Well, the white folks told ’am, ‘You free.’  My folks worked on fer about twenty years.  They’d give ’em a little sompin outer dat crap.  They worked all sorter ways—­that’s right—­they sure did.  They rented and share cropped together I reckon after the War ended.

“The Ku Klux never bothered us.  I heard ’bout ’em other places.

“I never voted and I never do ’sepect to now.  What I know ‘bout votin’?

“Well, I tell you, these young folks is cautions.  They don’t think so but they is.  Lazy, no’count, spends every cent they gits in their hands.  Some works, some work hard.  They drink and carouse about all night sometimes.  No ma’am, I did not do no sich er way.  I woulder been ashamed of myself.  I would.  Times what done run away wid us all now.  I don’t know what to look fer now but I know times changing all the time.

“I gets ten dollars and some little things to eat along.  I say it do help out.  I got rheumatism and big stiff j’ints (enlarged wrist and knuckles).”

Interviewer:  Bernice Bowden. 
Person interviewed:  David Whiteman (c)
Age:  88
Home:  104 N. Kansas Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

“How de do lady.  Oh yes, I was a pretty good sized boy when the war started.  My old marster was sponsible Smith.  My young marster was his son-in-law.  I member ’bout the Yankees and the “Revels”.  I member when a great big troop of ’em went to war.  Some of ’em was cryin’ and some was laughin’.  I tried to get young marster to let me go with him, but he wouldn’t let me.  Old marster was too old to go and his son dodged around and didn’t go either.  I member he caught hisself a wild mustang and tied hisself on it and rode off and they never did see him again.

“I know when they was fightin’ we use to hear the balls when they was goin’ over.  I used to pick up many a ball.

“I wish my recollection was with me like it used to be.” (At this point his wife spoke up and said “Seems like since he had the flu, his mind is kinda frazzled.”)

“Yes’m, I member the Ku Klux.  They used to have the colored folks dodgin’ around tryin’ to keep out of their way.”

Interviewer:  Bernice Bowden
Person Interviewed:  Dolly Whiteside (c)
Age:  81
Home:  103 Oregon Street, Pine Bluff, Ark.

“I reckon I did live in slavery times—­look at my hair.

“I been down sick—­I been right low and they didn’t speck me to live.