Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Arkansas Narratives, Part 5   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

WASHINGTON 1941

VOLUME II

ARKANSAS NARRATIVES

PART 5

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

INFORMANTS

McClendon, Charlie McCloud, Lizzie McConico, Avalena McCoy, Ike McDaniel, Richard H. McIntosh, Waters Mack, Cresa McKinney, Warren McMullen, Victoria Madden, Nannie P. Madden, Perry Mann, Lewis Martin, Angeline Martin, Josie Mathis, Bess Matthews, Caroline Maxwell, Malindy Maxwell, Nellie May, Ann Mayes, Joe Meeks, Rev. Jesse Metcalf, Jeff Miller, Hardy Miller, Henry Kirk Miller, Matilda Miller, Nathan Miller, Sam Miller, W.D. Minser, Mose Minton, Gip Mitchell, A.J. Mitchell, Gracie Mitchell, Hettie Mitchell, Mary Mitchell, Moses Moon, Ben Moore, Emma Moore, Patsy Moorehead, Ada Mooreman, Mary Jane (Mattie) Morgan, Evelina Morgan, James Morgan, Olivia Morgan, Tom Morris, Charity Morris, Emma Moss, Claiborne Moss, Frozie Moss, Mose Mullins, S.O. Murdock, Alex Myers, Bessie Myhand, Mary Myrax, Griffin

Neal, Tom Wylie Nealy (Neely), Sally Nealy, Wylie Neland, Emaline Nelson, Henry Nelson, Iran Nelson, James Henry Nelson, John Nelson, Lettie Nelson, Mattie Newborn, Dan Newsom, Sallie Newton, Pete Norris, Charlie

Oats, Emma Odom, Helen Oliver, Jane Osborne, Ivory Osbrook, Jane

Page, Annie Parker, Fannie Parker, J.M. Parker, Judy Parker, R.F. Parks, Annie Parnell, Austin Pen Parr, Ben Patterson, Frank A. Patterson, John Patterson, Sarah Jane Pattillo, Solomon P. Patton, Carry Allen Payne, Harriett McFarlin Payne, John Payne, Larkin Perkins, Cella Perkins, Marguerite (Maggie) Perkins, Rachel Perry, Dinah Peters, Alfred Peters, Mary Estes Peterson, John Pettis, Louise Pettus, Henry C. Phillips, Dolly Piggy, Tony Pittman, Ella Pittman, Sarah Poe, Mary Pollacks, W.L. Pope, John (Doc) Porter, William Potter, Bob Prayer, Louise

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person interviewed: Charlie McClendon 708 E. Fourth Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 77

"I don't know exactly how old I am. I was six or seven when the war ended. I member dis my mother said I was born on Christmas day. Old master was goin' to war and he told her to take good care of that boy he was goin' to make a fine little man.

"Did I live up to it? I reckon I was bout as smart a man as you could jump up. The work didn't get too hard for me . I farmed and I sawmilled a lot. Most of my time was farmin'.

"I been in Jefferson County all my life. I went to school three or four sessions.

"About the war, I member dis I member they carried us to Camden and I saw the guards. I'd say, 'Give me a pistol.' They'd say, 'Come back tomorrow and we'll give you one.' They had me runnin' back there every day and I never did get one. They was Yankee soldiers.

"Our folks' master was William E. Johnson. Oh Lord, they was just as good to us as could be to be under slavery.

"After they got free my people stayed there a year or two and then our master broke up and went back to South Carolina and the folks went in different directions. Oh Lord, my parents sho was well treated. Yes ma'm. If he had a overseer, he wouldn't low him to whip the folks. He'd say, 'Just leave em till I come home.' Then he'd give em a light breshin'.

"My father run off and stay in the woods one or two months. Old master say, 'Now, Jordan, why you run off? Now I'm goin' to give you a light breshin' and don't you run off again.' But he'd run off again after awhile.

"He had one man named Miles Johnson just stayed in the woods so he put him on the block and sold him.