Speaking Out:Speaking Out:Quotes from Former SlavesQuotes from Former Slaves

Deborah CooperDeborah CooperStarr ElementaryStarr Elementary

IntroductionIntroductionBetween 1932 and 1975 former slaves Between 1932 and 1975 former slaves

were interviewed. They discussed were interviewed. They discussed events from their lives when they were events from their lives when they were slaves. Now you will read quotes from slaves. Now you will read quotes from their interviews.their interviews.

Quotes and photographs were taken Quotes and photographs were taken from the Slave Narratives found at the from the Slave Narratives found at the Library of CongressLibrary of Congress..

Fountain Hughes Fountain Hughes Age 1o1Age 1o1

““You wasn't no more You wasn't no more than a dog to some of than a dog to some of them in them days. You them in them days. You wasn't treated as good wasn't treated as good as they treat dogs now. as they treat dogs now. But still I didn't like to But still I didn't like to talk about it. Because it talk about it. Because it makes, makes people makes, makes people feel bad you know. Uh, feel bad you know. Uh, I, I could say a whole lot I, I could say a whole lot I don't like to say. And I I don't like to say. And I won't say a whole lot won't say a whole lot more."more."

Sarah Frances Shaw Graves Sarah Frances Shaw Graves Age Age 8787

““When we was freed When we was freed all the money my all the money my mama had was 50 mama had was 50 cents. I never cents. I never went to school till went to school till after I was freed.”after I was freed.”

Sarah Gudger Sarah Gudger Age 121Age 121

““He tie yo’ hands He tie yo’ hands afoah yo’ body an’ afoah yo’ body an’ whup yo’, jes lak whup yo’, jes lak yo’ a mule. Lawdy yo’ a mule. Lawdy honey, I’s tuk a honey, I’s tuk a thousand lashins in thousand lashins in mah day. mah day. Sometimes mah Sometimes mah poah ole body be poah ole body be soah foah a week.”soah foah a week.”

Charley Williams Charley Williams Age 94Age 94

““He didn’t have to He didn’t have to whup nobody very whup nobody very often, but he only often, but he only had to whup um had to whup um jest one time.”jest one time.”

Tempie Cummins Tempie Cummins Age unknownAge unknown

““I slep on a pallet on the I slep on a pallet on the floor. They give me a floor. They give me a homespun dress once a homespun dress once a year at Christmas time.”year at Christmas time.”

““Weht barefoot summer and Weht barefoot summer and winter til the feets crack winter til the feets crack open.”open.”

William Moore William Moore Age 82Age 82

““We had a purty hard We had a purty hard time to make out time to make out and was hongry and was hongry lots of times. lots of times. Marse Tom didn’t Marse Tom didn’t feel called on to feel called on to feed his hands any feed his hands any too much.”too much.”

Walter Rimm Walter Rimm Age 80Age 80

““Dem sales am Dem sales am onething what make onething what make de’ pression on me. de’ pression on me. I hears de old folks I hears de old folks whisper ‘bout gwine whisper ‘bout gwine have de sale and have de sale and bout noon dere am a bout noon dere am a crowd of white folks crowd of white folks in de front yard and in de front yard and a trader with he a trader with he slaves.”slaves.”

John W. Fields John W. Fields Age 89Age 89

““We were never allowed We were never allowed to go to town and it to go to town and it was not until after I ran was not until after I ran away that I knew that away that I knew that they sold anything but they sold anything but slaves, tobacco, and slaves, tobacco, and whiskey. Our ignorance whiskey. Our ignorance was the greatest hold was the greatest hold the South had on us. the South had on us. We knew we could run We knew we could run away, but what then? away, but what then? An offender guilty of An offender guilty of this crime was this crime was subjected to very harsh subjected to very harsh punishment." punishment."