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FRANCIS BLACK was born at Grand Bluff, Mississippi, about 1850, on the Jim Carlton plantation. When five
years old, she was stolen and taken to the slave market in New Orleans. Failing to sell her there, the slave traders
took her to Jefferson, Texas, and sold her to Bill Tumlin. Francis stayed with him five years after she was freed,
then married and moved to Cass County, Texas. She became blind a year ago. and now lives at the Bagland Old
Folks Home. 318 Elm St., Texarkana, Texas.
"My name an Francis Black, and I don't know jes' how old I is, but 'members lots 'bout them slave days. I was a big
gal, washin' and ironin', when they sot the darkies free. From that, I cal'late I's in my eighties.
"I was born in Grand Bluff, in Mississippi, on Old ManCarlton's plantation, and I was stole from my folks when I
was a li'l gal and never seed them no more. Us kids played in the big road there in Mississippi, and one day me and
'nother gal is playin' up and down the road and three white men come 'long in a wagon. They grabs as up and puts
us in the wagon and covers us with quilts. I hollers and yells and one the men say, 'Shet up, you nigger, or I'll kill
you.' I told him, 'Kill me if you wants to - you stole me from my folks.'
"Them men took us to N-w Orleans to the big slave market. I had long hair and they cut it off like a boy and tried to
sell me, but I told them men what looks at me, the men cut my hair off and stole me. The man what cut my hair off
cursed me and said if I didn't hush he'd kill me, but he couldn't sell us at New Orleans and took us to Jefferson.
"I never knowed what they done with the other gal, but they sold me to Marse Bill Tumlin, what run a big livery
stable in Jefferson, and I 'longed to him till surrender. I lived in the house with then, 'cause they had a boy and gal
and I did for them. They bought up clothes and took good care of me but I never seed no money till surrender. I et
what they et, after they got through. Missy say she didn't 'lieve in feedin' the darkies scraps, like some folks.
"I play d with them two chillen all day, then sot the table. I was so small I'd git in a chair to reach the dishes out of
the safe. I had to pull a long flybrush over the table whilst the white folks et.
"Marse Tunlin had a farm 'bout four mile from town, and a overseer, and I seed him buckle the niggers cross a log
and whip then. Marse lived in Jefferson, heself, and when he'd go to the farm he allus took is boy with him. Je'd be
playin' in the barn and Marse call from the house. 'Come on, Jimmie, we're gwine to the farm.' Jimmie allus say to
me, 'Come on, nigger, let's ride round the farm.' I'd say, 'I ain't no nigger.' He'd say, 'Yes, you is, my pa paid $200
for you. He bought you for to play with me.'
"Jefferson was a good town till it burned up. I 'members the big fire what looked like the whole town gwineter burn
up. Marse Bill lost his livery stable in the fire.
"The Yankee soldiers, all dressed in blue, come to run the town after the war. Marse Tumlin done told me I'm free,
but I stays on till I'm most growed. Then I works round town and marries Dave Black, and we
DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL COPY OR ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT UNAVAILABLE
Black, Francis -- Additional Interview
Francis Black, a blind Negress of Texarkana was born at Grand Bluff, Mississippi, about 1850, on the Jim Carlton
place. At about the age of five years, she was stolen from a road near her Masters' place, while at play, and brought
to New Orleans, Louisiana slave market by speculators. Failing to sell her at New Orleans, her abductors took her to
Jefferson, Texas, where they sold her to Bill Tumlin. Francis remained with the Tumlins about five years after
Emancipation. After working for herself for about two years, she married and moved to a Cass County farm with
her husband, since which time she has earned her own living until about a year ago. She now resides at the Ragland
Old Folks Home, 318 Elm Street, Texarkana, and receives a $10.00 per month Government pension.
My name am Francis Black. I don't know jist how ole I is, but I can 'member lots 'bout slave days. I was a big girl,
washing and ironing, when they sot (set) the darkies free. From that I "calculate" that I is in my eighties.
I was bo'n at Grand Bluff, Mississippi, on ole man Tim Carltons' place. I was stole from my fo'ks when I was a little
girl and never seed them no more. The kids played in the big road there in Mississippi. One day me and another girl
was playing up and down the road and three white men come 'long in a wagon. They grabbed us up and put us in
the wagon and "civered" (covered) us with quilts. I hollered and yelled and one of the men said, "Shut up, you
Nigger, or I'll kill you". I told him, "Kill me if you wants, you stole me from my fo'ks". They took us to New
Orleans to the slave market. I had long hair and they cut it off like a boys and tried to sell me. I told that man that
was looking at us that the men cut my hair off, and that they stole me. The man who cut off my hair cursed me and
said if I didn't hush he would kill me. The men who stole us couldn't sell us at New Orleans, and took us to
Jefferson. I don't know what they done with the other girl. They sold me to Bill Tumlin. He run a big livery stable
there at Jefferson. I belonged to the Tumlins till surrender.
I lived there in the house with them. They had a boy and girl and I was raised up round the house with them. They
bought my clothes and took good care of me, but I never seed no money 'till after surrender. I et what they et after
they got through. My Mistress allus saved me some of what they et. She say she didn't believe in feeding the darkies
the scraps like some white fo'ks. The first work I done was washing and ironing.
Me and his two chil'ren played together. They was younger than me, and we used to fight mightly. When they fight
me I fight them back, and scratch them up. Mistress Caroline use to say she was gwying (going) to thrash me if I
didn't stop fighting her chil'ren. She never did -- she was jist trying to scare me. We played, and fought every day
till I had to go sot (set) the table. I was so small I had to get in a chair to get the dishes out of the safe. I had to pull a
long fly brush over the table while the white fo'ks et.
Master lived there in Jefferson, but had a farm 'bout four miles from town. He had a overseer that rode a horse over
the farm. I'se seed him buckle the Niggers cross a log and whip them. Master Bill run a big livery stable there in
Jefferson. When he went to the farm he allus took his boy with him. We would be out in the barn playing and
Master would call from the house, "Come on, Jimmie, we is going to the farm". Jimmie allus wanted me to go too.
He say to me, "Come on, little Nigger, lets ride round the farm". I say to him, "I ain't no Nigger". He say to me,
"Yes you is, my Pa paid $200.00 for you. He bought you for to play with me".
I'se seed big boats in Jefferson, sometimes three at a time. I'se seed the town so full of wagons that Master Bill used
to cuss 'bout it being so hard to get his carriage out of town when we went to the farm. I 'members them having big
balls and dances on the boats there. Jefferson was a big town 'till it burned down. I 'members the big fire, it looked
like the whole town was gonna burn up. Master Bill lost his livery stable in the fire. The fire was along the river
there and it looked like the whole river was on fire.
I was in Jefferson during the War, and seed the Yankees soldiers all dressed in blue when they come to run the town
at the close of the War. The Federates brought soldiers there on boats twice. I think 'fore war ceased. We could hear
the fighting and cannons shooting during the War, but I didn't know where they was.
I 'members Master telling me I was free, but I stayed on with him till I was most grown. I worked round town for a
while, then married Dave Black. We moved to a farm in Cass County. I raised six chil'ren. My ole man got so
trifling and mean that I quit him and worked for myself. After I quit my man I come to Texarkana. I allus could earn
my own living till 'bout a year ago I lost my seeing and Albert Ragland took me in his home for old fo'ks. They
gives me a $10.00 per month pension now.
I 'members the Ku Klux, but never seed any. I'se heard my white fo'ks in Jefferson talk 'bout Cullen Baker killing a
pacel of Niggers. I guess he was one of them Ku Kluxers the white fo'ks was talking 'bout.
I don't know what to say 'bout the young set of our fo'ks. They is good to me. Mr. Ragland's girl takes care of me
and feeds us good. I don't go no where since I'se been blind, so don't know what the young fo'ks does.
Richard K. Hatcher (March 4, 1937)
