th. The principal was a white man, he was Mr. Sortur. After I
graduated from Knox Institute, I went to the Atlanta University four
years, then came back to Athens and taught school here forty years. I
taught whatever grade they assigned me to each year, never any certain
grade from year to year. First and last, I've taught from first grade
through high school. I would be teaching now if it were not for my bad
health. I receive a teacher's pension, but have never applied for an old
age pension.

"My husband was Samuel B. Davis, publisher of the _Athens Clipper_. I
published this newspaper myself for a short while after his death, then
sold it. We didn't have a big wedding, just a very simple one at my
mother's house. I was married in a nice white dress, but it was nothing
fancy. Our two children were born dead. Once I had a nice home,
beautifully furnished. All I have left of it is this old house and my
good bedroom suite. The rest of my possessions have gotten away from me
during my continued illness.

"I often think of Abraham Lincoln; he did a good deed for my race. Jeff
Davis was a good man and, no doubt, he thought he was doing the right
thing. Booker T. Washington was a man of brilliant mind, but he was
radically wrong in many of his views pertaining to education of the
black race. He lectured here once, but I didn't bother to hear him
speak.

"Yes Mam, indeed I had rather be free. Oh! religion is glorious. If God
has set you free from the bonds and penalties of sin, I think you ought
to live up to your Lord's commands. I dearly love to go to church and
hear the preacher tell of God. It gives me strength to live until He is
ready for me to go.

"Now, Miss, I hope I have told you what you wanted to know, but I must
admit the things that took place way back there are rather vague in my
mind. I'm an old woman and my mind is not as clear as it once was. Next
week, if I am strong enough to make the trip, I am going to spend the
day with Mary Colbert, and go over the old times you and I have
discussed. She remembers them better than I do, because she is older."

Whitley
[HW: Unedited
Atlanta]
E. Driskell

EX-SLAVE MOSE DAVIS
[APR 8 1937]

In one of Atlanta's many alleys lives Mose Davis, an ex-slave who was
born on a very large plantation 12 miles from Perry, Georgia. His master
was Colonel Davis, a very rich old man, who owned a large number of
slaves in addition to his vast property holdings. Mose D