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Resident El Dorado, Arkansas Age 90 and 83.
NOTE:-
This is a second interview with Uncle Tom and Aunt Sarah Douglas.
The first was sent to your office in September 1936 from interview by Mrs. Mildred Thompson, El Dorado,
Arkansas. Mrs. Thompson is not now with the Project. Mrs. Carol Graham made the second interview.
Tom Douglas - Ex-slave. I was a slave boy till I was eighteen. Was born in 1847, 'mancipated in '65. No, my master
did not live me forty acres of land and a mule. When we was 'mancipated my master came took us outside the gate
across the road and told us we was freed. "You are free to work for anybody you want to." We set there a while then
we went whare ol', master was and he tol' us if we wanted to stay wid him and finish the crop he would provide our
victuals and clothes. The next year we worked for him on the halves, and continued to do so for four or five years.
If we didn' sat an' wear it up be would give us the balance in money an we of'en had as much as fifty dollars when
the year was over.
My ol' master was S.B. Thomas. The young master was Exmett Thomas. Mr. Exmett was his son. Dey was near
Marion, Louisiana, Then I worked fuh his brother-in-law 'Lias George. His wife was Suson George. I tell you the
fact, these times is much bettuh than slave times. If I'm hungry an' naked, I'm free. I'm crazy 'bout liberty.
I've heard of the Ku Klux Klan but never did see none of 'em. Have seen where they is been but nevuh did see 'am.
We voted several years. Was considered citizens- voted an' all that sort of thing. I think if we pay taxes we ought to
vote for payin' taxes makes us citisens don' it? I used to be a big politics man- lost all I had house, forty acres, a
good well an' stock an' ever'thing. I was tol' one day that the Ku Kluxes was comin' to my house that night an' I got
on my horse at sundown an left an aint nevuh been back. I was a big politics man then-lost all I had and quit
polities. I'm ninety years old and fifteenth of next September. Looks like the old might get pensions if old has
anything to do with it I ought to get a pension but us ol' folks that is gettin' long an has a place to stay an' somethin'
to eat they say don' get none.
I come to El Dorado January 3, 1893. This place was in the woods then. I bought 120 acres from Mr. Dave
Armstrong at five dollars per acre and in nine years I had it all paid for. It was after I got tired of workin' on the
halves that I bought me a place.
Worked at a sawmill four years beginnin in 1897 or 98. Then I jobbed aroun' town three years doin' this an' that an'
the other. Carried $25 with me when I moved to town and brought $28. back with me. Cleared $1. a year an' got
tired of that.
Am livin' off my land. Eave sol' some an' am sellin some now but times is hard and folks can't pay. I takes in from
$18. to $25. per month.
The young folks is gone to destruction. Aint nothin' but destruction. You is young your self but you can tell times
aint the same as they was ten years back. Young folks is goin' to destruction. Me, I'm goin' home. Goin' back 80
years an comin' up to day I is seen a mighty big change. Me, I'm goin' home. Don't know what you young folks
going to me eighty years from now. Everybody is trying to get something for nothing.
We use to sing "Gimme this Old Time Religion, It's Good enough for me" An' we sung "I'm a Soldier of the Cross"
an lots of others. We don' live right now, don' serve God. Pride, formaty an love of money keeps folks from
worshipping an' away from the ol' time religion. You know that ol' sayin:
"Preacher in the pulpit preachin' mighty bold; All for your money an' none for your soul." Seems like its true now
days.
You ask does I have stripes on my back from bein beat in slave'y times? He mean. I was always a good boy and
smart boy raised in the same yard with the little white chillun. You says Sarah told you that las' year? Missy you
mus' be mistaken. I was whipped once or twice but I needed it then or ol' master wouldn't a whipped me an he never
did leave no stripes on me. My old master was good to all his niggers and I'm tellin you I was raised up with his
chullun an him and old mistress was good to me. All we little black chillun et out of the boilin' pot an every Sunday
mornin' we had hot biscuit and butter for breakfast. No mean my old master was always good to his niggers.
(Above is as exactly told by Tom Douglas with the exception that he used the word Marster, for master; was for
was, tuh for to; ah for I and other quaint expressions- these were omitted because of instruction in Bulletin received
August 7th, 1937.)
Taken down word for word. August 11, 1937.
Interviewer Mrs. Eornice Bowdan"
