SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

I do not like the trend of amusements of today; I would like for our
young people to become interested in things more worth while; in a
higher type of amusement* Conditions of morality and a lack of regard
for conventions is deplorable. Stocking among the girls has increased
the common use of liquor between the sexes*
Did you ask me about the voting restrictions for the colored
race in this State? I will tell you frankly that I think the primary
law here is unjust; most unjust* le are citizens in every other
respect; the primary voting privilege should be ours also* This
restriction has been explained as coming down from "the grandfather
clause* inserted in early legislation. I cannot give you the exact
wording of the clause but the substance was that no person whose
ancestor - grandfather - was not entitled to vote before 1863 should
have the rigjit to the ballot* Of course it is readily seen that this
clause was written purely for the purpose of denying the vote to the
colored people*
Perhaps, madam, my talk has been too much along educational
lines* You asked me about my life since freedom came and how I have
lived to the present time. I have had the blessed privilege of be-
ing a teacher - of doing the work I love best of all in the world to
do* I have written the story of my life work; it is all ready to be
published* I have written "The Story of Negro Schools in Little Rock"
and "Memoirs of Little Rock." Madam, I have written, I suppose, what
would amount to volumes for our church papers and local Negro news-
paper* My daughter was, at one time, editor of the Womens* Page. Nof
I ! m indeed sorry that I have not kept a scrapbook of such writings*
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