“I heard of the Ku Klux but I never seen one.

“I never voted.  I don’t believe in it.

“I never heard of any uprisings.  I don’t know nobody in that rebellion (Nat Turner).

“I used to sing to my children and in the field.

“I lived on the farm till I come to my daughters to live.  I like it better then in town.  We homesteaded a place at Grunfield (Zint) and my sister bought it.  We barely made a living and never had money to lay up.

“I don’t know what they’ll (young generation) do.  Things going so fast.  I’m glad I lived when I did.  I think it’s been the best time for p[o]r folks.  Some now got too much and some not got nothin’.  That what I believe make times seem so hard.”

Interviewer:  Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed:  Willie Buck Charleston, Jr., Biscoe, Arkansas
Age:  74

“I was born up here on the Biscoe place before Mr. Biscoe was heard of in this country.  I’m for the world like my daddy.  He was light as I is.  I’m jus’ his size and make.  There was three of us boys.  Dan was the oldest; he was my own brother, and Ed was my half-brother.  My daddy was a fellar of few words and long betwix’ ’em.  He was in the Old War (Civil War).  He was shot in his right ankle and never would let it be took out.  Mother had been a cook.  She and my grandmother was sold in South Carolina and brought out here.  Mother’s name was Sallie Harry.  Judging by them being Harrys that might been who owned them before they was sold.  She was about as light as me.  Mother died when I was a litter bit er of a fellar.  Then me and Dan lived from house to house.  Grandma Harry and my Aunt Mat and Jesse Dove raised us.  My daddy married right er way ag’in.

“I recollect mighty little about the war.  We lived back in the woods and swamps.  I was afraid of the soldiers.  I seen them pass by.  I was so little I can barely recollect seeing them and hiding from them.

“When we lived over about Forrest City I seen the Ku Klux whoop Joe Saw and Bill Reed.  It was at night.  They was tied to trees and whooped with a leather snake whoop.  I couldn’t say how it come up but they sure poured it on them.  There was a crowd come up during the acting.  I was scared to death then.  After then I had mighty little use for dressed-up folks what go around at night (Ku Klux).  I can tell you no sich thing ever took place as I heard of at Biscoe.  We had our own two officers and white officers and we get along all the time tollerably well together.”

Interviewer:  Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed:  Lewis Chase; Des Arc, Arkansas
Age:  90?

[TR:  Some word pronunciation was marked in this interview.  Letters surrounded by [] represent long vowels.]

“I answer all your questions I knows lady.