“When er scritch owl holler et night us put en iron in de fire quick, en den us turn all de shoes up side down on de flo’, en turn de pockets wrong side out on call de close, kaze effan we diden’ do dem things quick, sompin’ moughty bad wuz sho’ ter happen.  Mos’ en lakly, somebuddy gwint’er be daid in dat house fo’ long, if us woan quick ‘bout fixin’.  Whut us do in summer time, ’bout fire at night fer de scritch owl?  Us jes’ onkivver de coals in de fire place.  Us diden’ hev no matches en us bank de fire wid ashes evvy night all de year ‘roun’.  Effen de fire go out, kaze some nigger git keerless ’bout it, den somebuddy gotter go off ter de next plantation sometime ter git live coals.  Some er de mens could wuk de flints right good, but dat wuz er hard job.  Dey jes rub dem flint rocks tergedder right fas’ en let de sparks day makes drap down on er piece er punk wood, en dey gits er fire dat way effen dey is lucky.”

“Dem days nobuddy bring er axe in de house on his shoulder.  Dat was er sho’ sign er bad luck.  En nebber lay no broom crost de bed.  One time er likely pair er black folks git married, en somebuddy give ’em er new broom.  De ‘oman she proud uv her nice, spankin’ new broom en she lay hit on de bed fer de weddin’ crowd ter see it, wid de udder things been give ‘em.  Fo’ thee years go by her man wuz beatin’ ’er, en not long atter dat she go plum stark crazy.  She oughter ter know better’n ter lay dat broom on her bed.  It sho’ done brung her bad luck.  Dey sent her off ter de crazy folks place, en she died dar.”

[Document 5]

May 3, 1937

Mr. Edwin Bjorkman, State Director
Federal Writers’ Project, WPA
City Hall, Fifth Floor
Asheville, North Carolina

Subj:  Ex-slave Narratives

Dear Mr. Bjorkman: 

I am quoting a memorandum of Mr. Lomax, folklore editor, regarding the ex-slave stories: 

“Of the five States which have already sent in reminiscences of ex-slaves, Tennessee is the only one in which the workers are asking ex-slaves about their belief in signs, cures, hoodoo, etc.  Also, the workers are requesting the ex-slaves to tell the stories that were current among the Negroes when they were growing up.  Some of the best copy that has come in to the office is found in these stories.”

This suggestion, I believe, will add greatly to the value of the collection now being made.

Very truly yours,
George Cronyn
Associate Director

CC—­Mr. W.T.  Couch, Asso.  Director Federal Writers’ Project
    University Press
    Chapel Hill, No.  Car.

GWCronyn/a

SENT TO:  No. and So.  Carolina; Georgia; Alabama; Louisiana;
         Texas; Arkansas; Kentucky; Missouri; Mississippi;
         Oklahoma; Florida

[Document 6]

MEMORANDUM
June 9, 1937

TO:  STATE DIRECTORS OF THE FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT
FROM:  Henry G. Alsberg, Director