us en we camped out durin' de whole three y'ars.

I member de Klu Klux. One nite a bunch ob us went out, dey got atter
us. We waded a big crik en hid in de bushes ter keep dem fum gittin'
us.

Hab gon' ter lots ob camp-meetin's. Dey'd hab lots ob good things ter
eat en fed eberbody. Dey'd hab big baptizin's down at de Cumberland
Riber and menny things.

W'en freed, our white folks didn't gib us nuthin'. We got 'way en
hired out fer an'thin' we could git. Nebber knowed ob any plantashuns
[TR: illegible, possibly "men"] be divided. D'ant member 'bout slave
'risings en niggers voting en wuz not ole er'nuff ter member de
sta'rs fallin'. Songs we use'ter sing wuz, "On Jordan's Bank I Stand
en Cast a Wistful Eye en Lak Drops ob Sweat, Lak Blood Run Down, I
Shed mah Tears."

I try not ter think 'bout de ole times. Hit's bin so long ago so I
don' member any tales now.

I'se had a lot ob good times in mah day. Our white folks would let us
hab "bran dances" an we'd hab a big time. I has nebber voted en I
think dat ez a man's wuk. Don't b'leeve in signs, I hab allus tho't
whut ez gwine ter be will be, en de only way ter be ez de rite way.

Eber since slavery I'se cooked fer peeple. I cooked fer Mr. Lea Dillon
fifteen y'ars. Wuked at de Union Depot fer y'ars. Five y'ars fer Dr.
Douglas at his Infirmary en I cooked fer en raised Mrs Grady's baby.
Hab wuked fer diff'ent folks ovuh town ter mek mah livin'. I ain't bin
able ter wuk fer eight y'ars. Dunno how much I weigh now, I hab lost
so much. (she weighs now at least 250 pounds). All de ex-slaves I know
hab wuked at diff'ent jobs lak I has.

INTERVIEW
EX-SLAVES
JENNY GREER
706 Overton, Street.
Nashville, Tennessee

"Am 84 y'ars ole en wuz bawn in Florence, Alabama, 'bout seben miles
fum town. Wuz bawn on de Collier plantashun en Marster en Missis wuz
James en Jeanette Collier. Mah daddy en mammy wuz named Nelson en Jane
Collier. I wuz named atter one ob mah Missis' daughters. Our family
wuz neber sold er divided."

"I'se bin ma'ied once. Ma'ied Neeley Greer. Thank de Lawd I aint got
no chilluns. Chilluns ez so bad now I can't stand dem ter save mah
life."

"Useter go ter de bap'isin's en dey would start shoutin' en singin'
w'en we lef' de chuch. Went ter deze bap'isin's in Alabama, Memphis,
en 'yer in Nashville. Lawdy hab mercy, how we useter sing. Only song I
members ez 'De Ole Time 'ligion.' I useter go ter camp meetin's.
Eve'rbody had a jolly time, preach