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Brinkley, Arkansas
Nickname Pearl
Age 65 or 70?
"I was born in Paris, Tennessee and come to Arkansas when I was a child. I don't know how old I am but my mama
knowed 'bout when I was born. It warnt long after the war. I past sixty-five and it is nearer seventy from what she
said. She ain't been dead long. She was about a hundred years old. I. C. switch killed her. She was going cross there
to Fisher Body and the switch engine struck her head. She dropped something and stooped to pick it up or the
engine wouldn't touched her. She lived in Memphis.
"She was born at Oaks, Tennessee. She took me down to see the cabin looks where she was born. They had rotted
down and somebody lived in the big house. It had gone to rack then pretty bad. My father's master was George
Harris. he was Governor of Tennessee. My mother's mistress at Oaks was Miss Ann LaGuion (or maybe Gwion). I
never heard her husband's name. They had several farms and on each farm was the cabin locks (little houses all in a
row or two rows). The houses was exactly alike. Grandma cooked for the white folks and mama nursed. The baby
was a big fat heavy sort, a boy, and it was so heavy she couldn't hardly pick it up. She had to carry it around all day
long. When night come she was wore out. There was several of them. When she go to their houses in Memphis they
honor her. They take her down town and buy her shoes and dresses.
Buy her whatever she say she want. They say they was proud of her. She was a little black guinea woman (low and
stocky). Not long go Mr. (white man) in Brinkley asked me when my ma coming back here. Said he ain't seed her
for so long. I tole him she was dead. He said he have to go tell Mrs. ______ (his wife). She come out here and stay
and piece quilts. She sewed so nice. Made pretty little stitches. She'd take the most time and pains fixing the pieces
together to look pretty. She'd set there and sew and me over there and tell me bout how she was raised and I'd cry.
Cry cause she had so hard a time when she was a girl.
"The old master sent my father to Liverpool, England to bury his money. He was his own son anyhow. Sent him
with his money to keep the Yankees from taking it. My aunt, my father and Uncle Jesse all his own children. Course
old mistress love them little children like her own. She couldn't help herself.
"Mariah Steed went in Governor Harrises name after freedom. So did Randall Travis Harris.
"My mama said she was never sold but her sister and her children were. She was put upon the auction stile and all
her little children. A man in Mobile, Alabama bought her. They never did see nor hear tell of her no more.' The
reason they sold her was she killed two men overseers. They couldn't manage her. The last one was whipping her
with a black snake whip and she grabbed him. Grabbed his privates and pulled 'em out by the roots. That the way
she killed both the overseers. Cause she knowed that was show death. My mama said that was the nicest little soft
man -- the last man she killed. She said he just clum the walls in so much misery that night.
"She said they would whisper after they go to bed. They used pine torches for lights. They had to cover up the fire --
cover up fire in the ashes so it be coals to kindle a fire in the morning -- put out the light pretty early. Old master
come stand round outside see if they all gone to bed.
"When freedom -- my mama said old master called all of 'em to his house and he said: 'You all free, we ain't got
nothing to do wid you no more. Go on away. We don't whoop you no more, go on your way.' My mama said they
go on off then they come back and stand around jess lookin' at him an' old mistress. They give 'em something to eat
and he say: 'Go on away, you don't belong to us no more you been freed.'
"They go way and they kept coming back. They didn't have no place to go and nothing to eat. From what she said
they had a terrible time. She said it was bad times. Some took sick and had no 'tention and died. Seemed like it was
four or five years before they got to places they could live. They all got scattered.
"She said they did expect something from freedom but the only thing old master give Jesse was a horse and bridle
and saddle. It was new. Old master every time they go back say: 'You all go on away. You been set free. You have
to look out for your selves now.'
"The only way I know this is I remembers from hearin' my dear old mama tell me when she come here to see me. I
was too little. I guess I wasn't born till two or three years, maybe longer than that, after freedom.
"After my son died here I get $2.50 a month, just my house rent. I work out when I can get something to do. Work
is so scarce I hardly get a living.
"If you could see my brother in Little Rock he could tell you a heap he remembers. He is white headed, keeps his
hair cut close and goes dressed up all the time. They say he is a good old man. He does public work in Little Rock.
Henry Travis is his son. His phone is 4-5353. His street is 3106 Arch. My brother is really born a slave, I ain't. Ask
for E. K. Travis, that is his name. He can tell you bout all you want to know."
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson"
