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I don't remember 'bout slavery time; but I heard my mother say that they'd have to list on both sides a "Task" (1/4 acre) of ground with a hoe for a day's work. A peck of grits, three pounds of bacon, one pint of salt, one quart of syrup - dat had to carry 'em a week. Dat is, for one person. Now where dey had a family dey had to add on to dat.
Den dey'd whip. An' like if you went anywhere an' didn't ask your boss, dey'd set de dogs on 'em. An' if'n you went anywhere an' didn't have a note, an' meet somebody, well, dey'd whip 'em even if dey wasn't your boss.
In dose times, de colored folks didn't have no church, no worship. Some of 'em didn't know dere was such a ting as de Lord Jesus Christ. Now some of 'em went to de white folks' church; but dey couldn't do nuthin' - jes sit dere. Dey could sing, an' take de sacrement; but didn't have no voice - jes like animals! If'n you had a good boss, dey'd have you take to church in wagons. But if you didn't have a good owner, you'd have to walk an' have a ticket, too, or get whip on de way an' sent back.
Whenever a colored person die, dey couldn't bury 'em in de day - less'n dey had mighty good owners. Dey wouldn't gie you time for bury! Dey'd have to go out in de night, an' build a high stand an' put a fire on dere for light. Dey'd first cover de stand over wid mud an' dirt, so as dey could make a fire on it. Den dey'd all gather 'round dere in de dark for de buryin'.
(Morris, Joe, Project #1655, Henry Grant, Columbia, S. C.)
