“‘Did you ever vote?’ Me?  Yes’m I voted.  Never had no trouble ’tall.  I voted for Garfield.  I ‘member when Garfield was shot.  I was settln’ out in the yard.  The moon was in the ’clipse.  I’ll never forget it.

“I think the colored folks should have a legal right to vote, cause if ever they come another war—­now listen—­them darkies ain’t never goin’ to France again.  The nigger ain’t got no country—­this is white man’s town.

“What I been doin’ since the war?  Well, I’m a good cook.  When I puts on the white apron, I knows what to do.  Then I preaches.  The Lord done revealed things to me.

“I’ll tell you ‘bout this younger generation.  They is goin’ to destruction.  They is not envelopin (developing) their education.

“Well I done tole you all I know.  Guess I tole you ’bout a book, ain’t I?”

Interviewer:  Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed:  Tom Windham, 723 Missouri, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  98

“I was twenty-one years old when the war was settled.  My mother and my grandmother kep’ my age up and after the death of them I knowed how to handle it myself.

“My old master’s name was Butler and he was pretty fair to his darkies.  He give em plenty to eat and wear.

“I was born and raised in Indian Territory and emigrated from there to Atlanta, Georgia when I was about twelve or thirteen.  We lived right in Atlanta.  I cleaned up round the house.  Yes ma’m, that’s what I followed.  When the Yankees come to Atlanta they just forced us into the army.  After I got into the army and got used to it, it was fun—­just like meat and bread.  Yankees treated me good.  I was sorry when it broke up.  When the bugle blowed we knowed our business.  Sometimes, the age I is now, I wish I was in it.  Father Abraham Lincoln was our President.  I knowed the war was to free the colored folks.  I run away from my white folks is how come I was in the Yankee army.  I was in the artillery.  That deefened me a whole lot and I lost these two fingers on my left hand—­that’s all of my joints that got broke.

“Before the war my white folks was good to us.  I had a better time than I got now.

“My father and mother was sold away from me, but old mistress couldn’t rest without em and went and got em back.  They stayed right there till they died.  Us folks was treated well.  I think we should have our liberty cause us ain’t hogs or horses—­us is human flesh.

“When I was with the Yankees, I done some livin’.

“I went to school two months in my life.  I should a gone longer but I found where I could get next to a dollar so I quit.  If I had education now it might a done me some good.

“I used to be in a brass band.  I like a brass band, don’t make no difference where I hear it.

“There was one song we played when I was in the army.  It was: 

  ’Rasslin Jacob, don’t weep
   Weepin’ Mary, don’t weep. 
   Before I’d be a slave
   I’d be buried in my grave,
   Go home to my father and be saved.’