Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Arkansas Narratives, Part 2   By: United States. Work Projects Administration

SLAVE NARRATIVES

A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves

TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936 1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Illustrated with Photographs

WASHINGTON 1941

VOLUME II

ARKANSAS NARRATIVES

PART 2

Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Arkansas

INFORMANTS

Cannon, Frank Cauley, Zenie Chambers, Liney Charleston, Jr., Willie Buck Chase, Lewis Clay, Katherine Clemments, Maria Sutton [TR: also reported as Maria Sutton Clements] Clemons, Fannie Clinton, Joe Coleman, Betty Cotton, Lucy Cotton, T.W. Cragin, Ellen Crane, Sallie Crawford, Isaac Crosby, Mary Crump, Richard Culp, Zenia Cumins, Albert [TR: in header and text of interview, Cummins] Curlett, Betty Curry, J.H.

Dandridge, Lyttleton Daniels, Ella Darrow, Mary Allen Davis, Alice Davis, Charlie Davis, D. Davis, James Davis, Jim Davis, Jeff Davis, Jeff Davis, Jordan Davis, Mary Jane Drucilla Davis, Minerva Davis, Rosetta Davis, Virginia (Jennie) Davis, Winnie Day, Leroy Dell, Hammett Dickey, James Diggs, Benjamin Dillon, Katie Dixon, Alice Dixon, Luke D. Dixon, Martha Ann Dockery, Railroad Donalson, Callie Dortch, Charles Green Dorum, Fannie Dothrum, Silas Douglas, Sarah Douglas, Tom Douglas, Sarah and Tom Douglas, Sebert Doyl, Henry Doyld, Willie Dudley, Wade Duke, Isabella Dukes, Wash Dunn, Lizzie Dunne, Nellie Dunwoody, William L.

Edwards, Lucius Elliott, John Evans, Millie Farmer, Robert Fergusson, Lou Ferrell, Jennie Fikes, Frank Filer, J.E. Finger, Orleans [TR: in text of interview, Orleana] Finley, Molly Finney, Fanny Fisher, Gate Eye Fitzgerald, Ellen Fitzhugh, Henry Flagg, Mary Flowers, Doc Fluker, Frances Fluker, Ida May Ford, Wash Fortenberry, Judia Foster, Emma Foster, Ira Franklin, Leonard Frazier, Eliza Frazier, Mary Frazier, Tyler Freeman, Mittie Fritz, Mattie

ILLUSTRATIONS

Sarah and Sam Douglas [TR: The Library of Congress photo archive notes "'Tom' written in pencil above 'Sam' in title."] Millie Evans

[TR: Some interviews were date stamped; these dates have been added to interview headers in brackets. Where part of date could not be determined has been substituted. These dates do not appear to represent actual interview dates, rather dates completed interviews were received or perhaps transcription dates.]

Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson Person interviewed: Frank Cannon R.F.D., two miles, Palestine, Arkansas Age: 77

"I was born three miles west of Starkville, Mississippi on a pretty tolerable large farm. My folks was bought from a speculator drove come by. They come from Sanders in South Ca'lina. Master Charlie Cannon bought a whole drove of us, both my grandparents on both sides. He had five farms, big size farms. Saturday was ration day.

"Our master built us a church in our quarters and sont his preacher to preach to us. He was a white preacher. Said he wanted his slaves to be Christians.

"I never went to school in my life. I was taught by the fireside to be obedient and not steal.

"We et outer trays hewed out of logs. Three of us would eat together. We had wooden spoons the boys made whittling about in cold rainy weather. We all had gourds to drink outer. When we had milk we'd get on our knees and turn up the tray, same way wid pot liquor. They give the grown up the meat and us pot liquor.