Kemp may have gained the name “Prophet” from his constant reference to the future and to his religion.  He says he believes on one faith, one Lord and one religion, and preaches this belief constantly.  He claims to have turned his back on all religions that “do not do as the Lord says.”

In keeping this belief he says he represents the “True Primitive Baptist Church”, but does not have any connection with that church, because he believes it has not lived exactly up to what the Lord expects of him.

Kemp claims the ability to read the future with ease; even to help determine what it will bring in some cases.  He reads it in the palms of those who will believe in him; he determines the good and bad luck; freedom from sickness; success in love and other benefits it will bring from the use of charms, roots, herbs and magical incantations and formulae.  He has recently celebrated what he believes to be his 80th birthday, and says he expects to live at least another quarter of a century.

REFERENCE

1.  Personal interview with John Henry Kemp, Daytona Beach, Florida

Barbara Darsey
SLAVE INTERVIEW
With
CINDY KINSEY, FORMER SLAVE
About 86 Years of Age

“Yes maam, chile, I aint suah ezackly, but I think I bout 85 mebby 86 yeah old.  Yes maam, I wus suah bahn in de slavery times, an I bahn right neah de Little Rock in Arkansas, an dere I stay twell I comed right from dere to heah in Floridy bout foah yeah gone.

“Yes maam, my people de liv on a big plantation neah de Little Rock an we all hoe cotton.  My Ma?  Lawzy me, chile, she name Zola Young an my pappy he name Nelson Young.  I had broddehs Danel, Freeman, George, Will, and Henry.  Yes maam, Freeman he de younges an bahn after we done got free.  An I had sistehs by de name ob Isabella, Mary, Nora,—­dat aint all yet, you want I should name em all?  Well then they was too Celie, Sally, and me Cindy but I aint my own sisteh is I, hee, hee, hee.

“My Ole Massa, he name Marse Louis Stuart, an my Ole Missy, dat de real ole one you know, she name,—­now—­let-me-see, does—­I—­ricollek, lawzy me, chile, I suah fin it hard to member some things.  O! yes,—­her name hit war Missy Nancy, an her chilluns dey name Little Marse Sammie an Little Missy Fanny.  I don know huccum my pappy he go by de name Young when Ole Massa he name Marse Stuart lessen my pappy he be raised by nother Massa fore Marse Louis got him, but I disrememba does I eber heerd him say.

“Yes maam, chile I suah like dem days.  We had lot ob fun an nothin to worrify about, suah wish dem days wus now, chile, us niggahs heaps better off den as now.  Us always had plenty eat and plenty wearin close too, which us aint nevah got no more.  We had plenty cahn pone, baked in de ashes too, hee, hee, hee, it shore wus good, an we had side meat, an we had other eatin too, what ever de Ole Marse had, but I like de side meat bes.  I had a good dress for Sunday too but aint got none dese days, jes looky, chile, dese ole rags de bes I got.  My Sunday dress?  Lawzy me, chile, hit were alway a bright red cotton.  I suah member dat color, us dye de cotton right on de plantation mostly.  Other close I dont ezackly ricollek, but de mostly dark, no colahs.