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1800 Ohio Strest, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 78
"Yes ma'am, I lived in slavery times. They brought me from Alabema, a baby, right here to this place where I am at,
Mr. Sterling Cockril.
"I don't know zackly when I was born but I member bout the slave times. Yes ma'am, I do. After I growed up some,
I member the overseer---I do. I can remember Mr. Burns. I member when he took the hands to Texas. Left the
chillun and the old folks here.
"Oh Lord, this was a big plantation, Had bout four or five hundred head of niggers.
"My mother done the milkin' and the weavin'. After free times, I wove me a dress. My mother fixed it for me and I
wove it. They'd knit stockin's too. But now they wear silk. Don't keep my legs warm.
"I member when they fit hers in Pine Bluff. I member when 'Marmajuke' sent word he was goin' to take breakfast
with Clayton that mornin" and they just fit. I can remember that was 'Marmajuke.' It certainly was 'Marmajuke.' The
Rebels tried to carry me away but the wagon was so full I didn't get in and I was glad they didn't. My mother was
runnin' from the Rebals and she hid under the cotehouse. After the battle was over she come back here to the
plantation.
"I had three brothers and three sisters want to Texas and I know I didn't know em when they come back.
"I member when they fit here a bum shell fell right in the yard. It was big around as this stovepipe and was all full
of chains and things.
"After free time my folks stayed right here and worked on the shares. I was the baby chile and never done no work
till I married when I was fifteem.
"After the War I went to school to white teachers from the North. I never went to nothin' but them. I went till I was
in the fifth grade.
"My daddy learned me to spell 'lady' and 'baker' and 'shady' fore I went to school. I learned all my ABC's too. I got
out of the first reader the second day. I could just read it right on through. I could spell and just stand at the head of
the class till the teacher sent me to the foot all the time.
"My daddy was his old mistress' pet. He used to carry her to school all the time and I guess that's where he got his
learnin'.
"After I was married I worked in the field. Rolled logs, cut brush, chopped and picked cotton.
"I member when they had that 'Bachelor' (Brooks-Baxter) War up here at Little Bock.
"After my chillun died, I never went to the field no more. I just stayed round mongst the white folks nussin'. All the
chillun I nussed is married and grown now.
"All this younger generation---white and colored---I don't know what's gwine come of em. The poet says:
'Each gwine a different way
And all the downward road.' "
Interviewer Mrs. Bernice Bowden"
Perry, Dinah -- Additional Interview
1002 Indiana, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 78
"I'se bawn in Alabama and brought here to Arkansas a baby. I couldn't tell what year I was bawn 'cause I was a
baby. A chile can't tell what year he was bown 'less they tells him and they sure didn't tell me.
"When I'd wake up in the mawnin' my mother would be gone to the field.
"Some things I can remember good but you know old folks didn't 'low chillun to stand around when they was talkin'
in dem days. They had to go play. They had to be mighty partioular or they'd get a whippin'.
"Chillun was better in them days 'cause the old folks was striot on 'em. Chillun is raisin' theirselves today.
"I 'member one song they used to sing
'We'll land over shore
We'll land over shore;
And we'll live forever more.'
They called it a hymm. They'd sing it in church, then they'd all get to shoutin'.
"Superstitions? Well, I seen a engineer goin' to work the other day and a black cat run in front of him, and he went
back 'cause he said he would have a wreck with his train if he didn't. So you see, the white folks believes in things
like that too.
"I never was any hand to play any games 'cept 'Chick, Chick.' You'd ketch 'hold a hands and ring up. Had one
outside was the hawk and some inside was the hen and chickens. The old mother hen would say 'Chick-a-ma,
chick-a-ma, craney erow,
Went to the well to wash my toe;
When I come back my chicken was gone,
What time is it, old witch?'
One chicken was s'posed to get out and then the hawk would try to kstch him.
"We was more 'ligious than the chillun nowadays. We used to play preachin' and baptisin'. We'd put 'em down in the
water and souse 'em and we'd shout just like the old folk. Yes ma'am."
Interviewer Mrs. Bernice Bowden"
