“After freedom we moved off but they was good to us just the same, and we was glad to pay ’em a visit and they was glad to have us.

“I’ve heard my mother say she’d ignore the idea of a cold biscuit but my father said he was glad to get one.  He said he didn’t get ’em but once a week.

“Oh, indeed there was a lot of difference in the way the colored folks was treated.  Some of ’em was very good, just like they is now.

“Well, all those old people is dead and gone now ’cause they was old then.

“I come here to Arkansas in ‘88.  That was when they was emigratin’ the folks.  I was grown and married then.  I was twenty-six when I married in ’85.

“I went to school a little.  I can sorta scribble a little and read a little, but my eyes is failin’ now.  I started wearin’ glasses ’fore I really needed ’em.  I got to projectin’ with my mother’s glasses Looked like they read so good.

“Farmin’ is all I know how to do.  Never done anything else.  I owned some land and farmed for myself.

“Sure, I used to vote—­Republican.  I never had any trouble.  I always tried to conduct my life to avoid trouble.  I believe in that policy.

“I joined the church when I was very young, very young.  I go by the Golden Rule and by the Bible.

“I first lived in Pope County.

“I learned since I come here to Pine Bluff there’s enough churches here to save the world, but there’s some mean people here.”

Interviewer:  Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed:  Katie Dillon
                    307 Hazel Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age:  82
[Dec 31 1937]

“I hope I was here in slavery days—­don’t I look like it?  I was a good big girl after surrender.

“I was born in Rodney, Mississippi in 1855.

“I had a good old master—­Doctor Williams.  Didn’t have no mistress.  He never married till after surrender.

“We lived right in town—­right on the Mississippi River where the gun boats went by.  They shelled the town one day.  Remember it just as well as if ’twas now.  I hope it was exciting.  Everybody moved out.  Some run and left their stores.  They run to Alcorn University, five miles from there.  Some of em come back next day and some never come back till after surrender.

“The old Doctor bought my mother when she was twelve years old.  When she got big enough she was the cook.  Made a fine one too.  I worked around the house and toted in wood and water.

“After surrender, Dr. Williams wanted my mother to give me and my brother to him and he would give her a home, but she wouldn’t.  I wish she had but you know I wasn’t old enough to know what was best.  She hired out and took us with her.  I hired out too.  I reckon I was paid but I never did see it.  I reckon my mother collected it.  I know she clothed me.  I had better clothes than I got now.  We stayed there till we come to Arkansas.  I was married then.  I married when I was seventeen.  I was fast wasn’t I?  I got a good husband.  Didn’t have to work, only do my own work.  Just clean up the house and garden and tend to the chickens.  My husband was a picture man.  Yes’m, I’ve lived in town all my life—­born and raised up in town.