Rachel Adams' two-room, frame house is perched on the side of a steep hill where peach trees and bamboo form dense shade. Stalks of corn at the rear of the dwelling reach almost to the roof ridge and a portion of the front yard is enclosed for a chicken yard. Stepping gingerly around the amazing number of nondescript articles scattered about the small veranda, the visitor rapped several times on the front door, but received no response. A neighbor said the old woman might be found at her s...

My folks allus belongs to the Cavins and wore their name till after 'mancipation. Pa and ma was named Freeman and Amelia Cavin and Massa Dave fotches them to Texas from Alabama, along with ma's mother, what we called Maria. The Cavins allus thunk lots of their niggers and Grandma Maria say, 'Why shouldn't they—it was their money.' She say there was plenty Indians here when they settled this country and they bought and traded with them without killin' them, if they could. The Indians was po...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume IV, Georgia Narratives, Part 3 is the third segment in a significant compilation that documents the firsthand experiences of former enslaved individuals in Georgia, recorded by the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This volume deepens the exploration of the harsh realities of slavery, providing rich narratives that highlight the personal stories, struggles, and resilience of those who ...

Aunt Lucy, an ex-slave, lives with her son, Lafayette Brooks, in a shack on the Carroll Inn Springs property at Forest Glen, Montgomery County, Md. To go to her home from Rockville, leave the Court House going east on Montgomery Ave. and follow US Highway No. 240, otherwise known as the Rockville Pike, in its southeasterly direction, four and one half miles to the junction with it on the left (east) of the Garrett Park Road. This junction is directly opposite the entrance to the Georgetown...

Marse Glenn had 64 slaves. On Sat'day night, de darkies would have a little fun on de side. A way off from de big house, down in de pastur' dar wuz about de bigges' gully what I is ebber seed. Dat wuz de place whar us collected mos' ev'ry Sa'day night fer our lil' mite o' fun frum de white folks hearin'. Sometime it wuz so dark dat you could not see de fingers on yo' han' when you would raise it fo' your face. Dem wuz sho' schreechy nights; de schreechiest what I is ever witnessed, in all ...

Now, Miss Sue, take up. I jes' like to talk to you, honey 'bout dem days ob slavery; 'cause you look like you wan'ta hear all 'bout 'em. All 'bout de ol' rebels; an' dem niggers who left wid de Yankees an' were sat free, but, poor things, dey had no place to go after dey got freed. Baby, all us wuz helpless an' ain't had nothin'. I wuz free a long time 'fo' I knew it. My Mistess still hired me out, 'til one day in talkin' to de woman she hired me to, she, "God bless her soul", she told me,...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume III, Florida Narratives is a significant compilation of firsthand accounts from former enslaved individuals in Florida, recorded by the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This volume presents a rich array of personal stories that illuminate the complex realities of slavery in the state, capturing the voices of those who lived through this harrowing chapter of American history.The narrat...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 4 continues the vital documentation of the experiences of formerly enslaved individuals in South Carolina, as compiled by the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This volume provides additional firsthand accounts that illuminate the daily realities and enduring spirit of those who lived through the institution of slavery.The narratives featured in thi...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume II, Arkansas Narratives, Part 4 completes the series documenting the experiences of formerly enslaved people in Arkansas through the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This final volume presents a rich tapestry of firsthand accounts, offering valuable insights into the lives, struggles, and resilience of those who endured the institution of slavery.The interviews in this volume capture ...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XV, Tennessee Narratives is a significant collection that captures the voices and experiences of formerly enslaved individuals in Tennessee, compiled by the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This volume presents a rich array of firsthand accounts that shed light on the realities of slavery in a state with a complex history regarding the institution.The narratives in this volume detail ...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume II, Arkansas Narratives, Part 2 continues the collection of powerful firsthand accounts of formerly enslaved people from Arkansas, recorded by the WPA’s Federal Writers’ Project. This second part presents additional interviews that document the voices, memories, and experiences of individuals who lived through slavery, offering deeper insight into daily life, personal struggles, and ...

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume IX, Mississippi Narratives is an important compilation of firsthand accounts from former enslaved individuals in Mississippi, as recorded by the WPA’s Federal Writers' Project. This volume presents a rich collection of narratives that provide profound insights into the lives, struggles, and resilience of those who lived through slavery in the Deep South.The interviews in this volume ...