SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

30432
Interviewer Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed Violet Shawt West Memphis, Arkansas
A&e 50
"I heard Grandma Katie Williams say she was put up on a high stump and
auctioned off* She told how great-grandma cried and cried and never seen
her no more* Grandma come from Oakland, Tennessee to Mississippi. Grandma
took the two young children and left the other two with great-grandma • They
took her from her husband. She never seen none of them again.
"After freedom she didn't know how to find them* She never could get
trace of them. She tried. She never married no more. I was born at
Clarksdale, Mississippi* I have seen Tom Pernell (white), the young
master, come and spend the night with Henry Pernell* Henry had once
been Tom's father 1 s slave and carriage driver* I was too small to know
the cause but I remember that several times mighty well* They fixed him
up a clean bed by hisself. Henry lived in town. Bit he might have been
drunk. I never seen no misbehavior out of him. It was strange to me to
see that.
"I?reedom~lnnt Mariah Jackson was freed at Dublin, Mississippi* She
said she was out in the field working* A great big white man come, jumped
up on a log and shouted, f Freedom! Freedom! 1 33iey let the log they was tot**
ing down; six, three on a side, had holt of a hand stick toting a long heavy
log. They was clearing up new ground. He told them they was free* They
went to the house* They cooked and et and thanked God* Some got down and
Played, some sung* They had a time that day. They got the banjo and fiddle
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