SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

"Pa made us go clean. He made me comb and wrop my hair
every night, I had prutty hair then. I had tetter and it all
come out. I has to wear this old wig now. When I was young
my eye-sight got had, they said measles settled in em and to
help em Ma had these holes put in em. (in her ears) I been
wearin 1 earbobs purt nigh all my life.
"The Ku Klux never bothered us. They never come nigh
our house no time. Pa died and Ma married a old man. They
stayed in the same place a while. When Pa died he had cattle
and stock that why I don't know if he got somepin at Freedom.
He had plenty.
"We lived at Holly Springs (Miss.) when they started
the first colored schools. There was three lady teachers. I
think a man. One of the white teachers boarded at my Ma's.
On Saturday the other two eat there. I recollect Ma cooking
and fixing a big dinner Saturday. No white folks let em stay
with em or speak to em. They was sent from up north to teach
the darky chaps. I was one went to school. They wasn't nice
like my white folks then neither. They paid high board and
white folks sent em to Ma so she get the money. I was 14 years
old when I married. I lived wid my husband more an 50 years.
We got long what I'ze tellin' you. This young set ain't got
no raisin 1 reason they cain't stand one nother. I don't let
em come in my yard, I cain't raise no children, I'm too old
and they ain't got no manners and the big ones got no sense.
Jes wild. They way they do. They live together a while and
2. 28,3