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5900 W. Sixth Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age 78
"Yes ma'am, I was slavery born but free raised. I was half as-big as I is now. (She is not much over four feet
tall---ed.) Born in Silver Creek, Mississippi. Yes ma'am. They give ever'body on the place their ages but mama said
it wasn't no 'count and tore it up, so I don't know what year I was born.
"My Magby---mama was under his control. He would carry us over to the white folks' house every morning to see
Miss Becky. When old master come after us, he'd say, 'What you gwine say?' and we'd say, 'One-two-three.' Then
we'd go over to old Mis' and courtesy and say, 'Good morning, Miss Becky; good morning, Mars Albert; good
morning, Mars Wardly.' They was just little old kids but we had to call 'em Mars.
"What I know I'm gwine tell you, but you ain't gwine ketch me in no tale.
"I 'member they was gwine put us to carryin' water for the hands next year, and that year we got free. My mother
shouted, 'Now I ain't lyin' 'bout dat.' I sure 'member when they sot the people free. They was just ready to blow the
folks out to the field. I 'member old Mose would blow the bugle and he could blow that bugle. If you wasn't in, you
better get in. Yes ma'am! The day freedom come, I know Mose was just ready to blow the bugle when the Yankees
begun to beat the drum down the road. They knowed it was all over then. That ain't no joke.
"I was a full grown woman when I come to Arkansas; I wasn't no baby.
"I went to school one month in my life. That was in Mississippi.
"My Joe" (her husband) "just lack one year bein' a graduate. He went up here to that Branch Norval. That boy had
good learnin'. He could a learnt me but he was too high tempered. If I missed a word he would be so crabb'y. So one
night I throwed the book across the room and said, 'You don't need try to learn me no more.'"
Interviewer Samuel S. Taylor"
