“After surrender I went to the first free school ever was in Rodney, Mississippi.  I went about two sessions.  I ought to’ve learned more’n I did but I didn’t see how it would benefit me.

“In slavery days we used to go right to the table and eat after the white folks was through.  We didn’t eat out of no pots and pans.  Whatever was on the table you et it until you got enough.

“When I was comin’ up and they was goin’ to have a private ball, they sent out invitations and I went, but when they had that kind where everybody could go I wouldn’t a gone to one of them for nothin’.

“The way things is goin’ now I don’t think the end can be very far off.

“I remember when peace was declared I saw the soldiers across the street and they had their guns all stacked.  I was lookin’ and wonderin’ what it was.  You know children didn’t ask questions in them days.  I heard some of the older ones talkin’ and I heard em say the war was over.

“I never had but two children and only one livin’ now.  Yes’m, I own my home and my son helps me what he can.  I’m thankful I got as much as I have.”

El Dorado District
folklore subjects [HW:  Customs]
Name of Interviewer:  Pernella Anderson
Subject:  Customs—­Slavery Days
[Nov 30 1936]

This information given by:  Alice Dixon
Place of Residence:  Rock Island quarters
Occupation:  None
Age:  80 (approx)
[TR:  Personal information moved from last page of interview.]

Well honey ah can’t tell jes when ah wuz born.  De white fokes have mah age.  Ah blong tuh de Newtons.  As near as ah can get at mah age ahm bout 74 now but ah wuz big nough to member the soldiers comin aroun atter surrender.

Mah mutha had ten chillun but ah can’t member but two uv mah sisters and one uv mah bruthes.  We staid wid de Newtons till we wuz set free and I nuss fuh de Newtons aftuh we wuz set free.  De Newtons wuz awful good ter me and dey wuz good tuh mah ma too.  Ah slept up in de big house wid de Newtons.  Ah nevah went ter school.  Ah didn’ have a chance.  Ah went ter church jes sometimes.  We didn have churches.  We jes had meetin in our house we lived in.  We cooked on fire places.  We cooked our bread in what we called oven bout so high.  We had chickens and eggs, peas, tatoes, meat and bread but ah didn know there was no sich thing as cake an pie till ah got to be an oman.  Ah can’t recollect jes how ole ah wuz in slave time but ah shore can recollect dem Yankees riding dem hosses and ah ask may ma what dey was doin and she said gatherin up cotton dey made in slave time an ah kin recollect an oman a gin.  Yo know we had steps made of blocks saved from trees and she wuz a goin ovah em steps er shoutin and singin “Ah am free, at last, ah am free at last, ah’m free at last, thank Gawd a Mighty ah’m free at last.”  She wuz so glad ter be free.