ernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Nannie Jones
1601 Saracen Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 81

"Good morning. Come in. I sure is proud to see you. Yes ma'am, I sure
is.

"I was born in Chicot County. I heerd Dr. Gaines say I was four years
old in slavery times. I know I ain't no baby. I feels my age, too--in
my limbs.

"I heerd 'em talk about a war but I wasn't big enough to know about
it. My father went to war on one side but he didn't stay very long. I
don't know which side he was on. Them folks all dead now--I just can
remember 'em.

"Dr. Gaines had a pretty big crew on the place. I'm gwine tell you
what I know. I can't tell you nothin' else.

"Now I want to tell it like mama said. She said she was sold from
Kentucky. She died when I was small.

"I remember when they said the people was free. I know they jumped up
and down and carried on.

"Dr. Gaines was so nice to his people. I stayed in the house most of
the time. I was the little pet around the house. They said I was so
cute.

"Dr. Gaines give me my age but I lost it movin'. But I know I ain't no
baby. I never had but two children and they both livin'--two girls.

"Honey, I worked in the field and anywhere. I worked like a man. I
think that's what got me bowed down now. I keeps with a misery right
across my back. Sometimes I can hardly get along.

"Honey, I just don't know 'bout this younger generation. I just don't
have no thoughts for 'em, they so wild. I never was a rattlin' kind of
a girl. I always was civilized. Old people in them days didn't 'low
their children to do things. I know when mama called us, we'd better
go. They is a heap wusser now. So many of 'em gettin' into trouble."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Reuben Jones
Ezell Quarters, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 85

"Well, I'm one of em. I can tell you bout it from now till sundown.

"I was born at Senatobia, Mississippi, this side of Jackson. Born in
'52 on April the 16th. That's when I was born.

"Old man Stephen Williams was my master in time of the war and before
the war, too. He was pretty good to me. Give me plenty of something to
eat, but he whipped me. Oh, I specked I needed it. Put me in the field
when I was five years old. Put a tar cap on my head. I was so young
the sun made my hair come out so they put that tar cap on my head.

"I member when they put the folks on blocks as high as that house an