hem times it was mostly the overseers and the drivers who was the
mean ones. They caused all the misery. There was other whitefolks
caused troubles too. Sneak around where there was lots of the black
children on the plantation and steal them. Take them poor children
away off and sell them.

There wasn't any Sunday Schooling. There was no place to learn to read
and write--no big brick schools like they is now. The old Master say
we can teach ourselves but we can't do it. Old Elam Bowman owned the
place next door to Mister Driver. If he catch his slaves toying with
the pencil, why, he cut off one of their fingers. Then I reckon they
lost interest in education and get their mind back on the hoe and plow
like he say for them to do.

I didn't see no fighting during of the War. If they was any Yankees
soldiering around the country I don't remember nothing of it.

Long time after the War is over, about 1885, I meets a gal named
Angeline. We courts pretty fast and gets married. The wedding was a
sure enough affair with the preacher saying the words just like the
whitefolks marriage. We is sure married.

The best thing we do after that is raise us a family. One of them old
fashioned families. Big 'uns! Seventeen children does we have and
twelve of them still living. Wants to know they names? I ain't never
forgets a one! There was Lucy, Bill, Ebbie, Cora, Minnie, George,
Frank, Kizzie, Necie, Andrew, Joe, Sammie, David, Fannie, Jacob, Bob
and Myrtle.

All good children. Just like their old pappy who's tried to care for
'em just like the old Master takes care of their old daddy when he was
a boy on that plantation down Texas way.

When the age comes on a man I reckon religion gets kind of meanful.
Thinks about it more'n when he's young and busy in the fields. I
believes in the Bible and what it says to do. Some of the Colored
folks takes to the voodoo. I don't believe in it. Neither does I
believe in the fortune telling or charms. I aims to live by the Bible
and leave the rabbit foots alone!

Oklahoma Writers' Project
Ex-Slaves
10-19-38
718 words

LIZA SMITH
Age 91
Muskogee, Oklahoma

Both my mammy and pappy was brought from Africa on a slave boat and
sold on de Richmond (Va.) slave market. What year dey come over I
don't know. My mammy was Jane Mason, belonging to Frank Mason; pappy
was Frank Smith, belonging to a master wid de same name. I mean, my
pappy took his Master's name, and den after my folks marr