I voted one time in ma life, in 1933, for Hoover.  I don’t know nothing about voting.  I can read.  I reads ma Bible.  Ma young mistress learnt me to read.  I never got to go to school much.  Whut my young mistress learnt me was ma A B C’s and how to call words.  Yes maam I can write ma name but I forgot how to write, been so long since I wrote a letter.

All the songs I ever sung was “In Dixie” “Little Brown Jug” an mostly religious songs, Lawd I forgot em now.  I never knowd about no slave uprisings—­white folks alway good to us.  We misses em now.  Times not lack dey use to be.

Dese young generations don’t take no interest in nothin no mo.  Its kinder kritical.  No use trying to tell em nuthin.  Dey’s getting an education I don’t know whut thell do with it.  If dey had somebody to manage fur them seem like they kaint kandle no business without getting broke.  They work hard and make some seems lack they jes kaint keep nuthin.  No’om I don’t think they are so bad.

In 1893 me and ma husband worked on our own place till we come down here we sold it and went on his brothers place.  I owns ma house thats all.  Ma daughters help me and we get a little provisions and clothes along from the relief.  If I could work I wouldn’t ax nobody for no help.  I jess past working much.

I jess don’t know what is going to become of the present generation.  The conditions are better than they use to be, heap better.  They have no education and don’t have to work as hard as we use to.  They seems so restless and don’t take no interest in nothin.  They are all right.  It is jess the times an the Bible full filling fast as it can.

Interviewer:  Samuel S. Taylor
Person interviewed:  Charles Green Dortch
                    804 Victory Street, Little Rock, Arkansas
Age:  81

[HW:  Father a Pet]

“I was born June 18, 1857.  The reason I don’t show my age is because I got Scotch-Irish, Indian, and Negro mixed up in me.  I was born in Princeton—­that is, near Princeton—­in Dallas County.  Princeton is near Fordyce.  I was born on Hays’ farm.  Hays was my second master—­Archie Hays.  Dortch was my first master.  He brought my parents from Richmond, Virginia, and he settled right in Princeton.

“My father’s name was Reuben Rainey Dortch.  He was an octoroon I guess.  He looked more like a Cuban than a Negro.  He had beautiful wavy hair, naturally wavy.  He was tall, way over six feet, closer to seven.  His father was Dortch.  Some say Rainey.  But he must have been a Dortch; he called himself Dortch, and we go in the name of Dortch.  Rainey was a white man employed on Dortch’s plantation.  Rainey’s name was Wilson Rainey.  My name has always been Dortch.

“My mother was named Martha Dortch.  I am trying to think what her maiden name was.  My sister can tell you all the details of it.  She is five years older than I am.  She can tell you all the old man’s folks and my mother’s too more easily than I can.