“I am de father of seven chillun.  Both daughters married and dey are housekeepers.  I have 11 grandchillun.  Three of dem are full grown and married.  One of dem has graduated from high school.

“Abraham Lincoln fixed it so de slaves could be free.  He struck off de handcuffs and de ankle cuffs from de slaves.  But how could I be free if I had to go back to my massa and beg for bread, clothes and shelter?  It is up to everybody to work for freedom.

“I don’t think dat Jefferson Davus wuz much in favor of liberality.  I think dat Booker T. Washington wuz a man of de furst magnitude.  When it come to de historiance I don’t know much about dem, but according to what I red in dem, Fred Douglas, Christopher Hatton, Peter Salem, all of dem colored men—­dey wuz great men.  Christopher Hatton wuz de furst slave to dream of liberty and den shed his blood for it.  De three of dem play a conspicuous part in de emancipation.

“I think it’s a good thing dat slavery is ended, for God hadn’t intended there to be no man a slave.

“My reason for joining de church is, de church is said to be de furst born, the general assembly of the living God.  I joined it to be in the general assembly of God.

“We have had too much destructive religion.  We need pure and undefiled religion.  If we had dat religion, conditions would be de reverse of that dey are.”

(Note:  The worker who interviewed this old man was impressed with his deep religious nature and the manner in which there would crop out in his conversation the facile use of such words as eventually, general, accessible, etc.  The interview also revealed that the old man had a knowledge of the scripture.  He claims to be a preacher and during the conversation gave indications of the oratory that is peculiar to old style colored preachers.)

Word Picture of PERRY SID JAMISON and his Home

[TR:  also reported as Jemison]

Mr. Jamison is about 5’2” and weighs 130 pounds.  Except for a slight limp, caused by a broken bone that did not heal, necessitating the use of a cane, he gets around in a lively manner.  He takes a walk each morning and has a smile for everybody.

Mr. Jamison is an elder in the Second Baptist Church and possesses a deep religious nature.  In his conversation there crops out the facile use of such words as “eventually”, “general”, “accessible”, and the like.  He has not been engaged in manual labor since 1907.  Since then he has made his living as an evangelist for the colored Baptist church.