dn't know what to do, and so
some of dem stayed on. I married Josh Forch. I am mother of four
children and 35 grand children.

I like Abraham Lincoln. I think he was a good man and president. I
didn't know much who Jeff Davis was. What I heard 'bout Booker T.
Washington, he was a good man.

Now dat slavery is over, I don't want to be in nary 'nother slavery,
and if ever nary 'nothern come up I wouldn't stay here.

Oklahoma Writers' Project
Ex-Slaves

BETTY FOREMAN CHESSIER
Age 94 years
Oklahoma City, Okla.

I was born July 11, 1843 in Raleigh, N. C. My mother was named Melinda
Manley, the slave of Governor Manley of North Carolina, and my father
was named Arnold Foreman, slave of Bob and John Foreman, two young
masters. They come over from Arkansas to visit my master and my pappy
and mammy met and got married, 'though my pappy only seen my mammy in
the summer when his masters come to visit our master and dey took him
right back. I had three sisters and two brothers and none of dem was
my whole brothers and sisters. I stayed in the Big House all the time,
but my sisters and brothers was gived to the master's sons and
daughters whey dey got married and dey was told to send back for some
more when dem died. I didn't never stay with my mammy doing of
slavery. I stayed in the Big House. I slept under the dining room
table with three other darkies. The flo' was well carpeted. Don't
remembah my grandmammy and grandpappy, but my master was they master.

I waited on the table, kept flies off'n my mistress and went for the
mail. Never made no money, but dey did give the slaves money at
Christmas time. I never had over two dresses. One was calico and one
gingham. I had such underclothes as dey wore then.

Master Manley and Mistress had six sons an' six darters. Dey raised
dem all till dey was grown too. Dey lived in a great big house 'cross
from the mansion, right in town before Master was 'lected Governor,
den dey all moved in dat mansion.

Plantation folks had barbecues and "lay crop feasts" and invited the
city darkies out. When I first come here I couldn't understand the
folks here, 'cause dey didn't quit work on Easter Monday. That is some
day in North Carolina even today. I doesn't remember any play songs,
'cause I was almost in prison. I couldn't play with any of the darkies
and I doesn't remember playing in my life when I was a little girl and
when I got grown I didn't want to. I wasn't hongry, I wasn't