“I’m a Missionary Baptist preacher.  Got a license to preach.  You go down and try to preach without a license and they put you up.

“Madam, you asked me a question I think I can answer with knowledge and understanding.  The young people is goin’ too fast.  The people is growin’ weaker and wiser.  You take my folks—­goin’ to school but not doin’ anything.  I don’t think there’s much to the younger generation.  Don’t think they’re doin’ much good.  I was brought up with what they called fireside teachin’.”

Circumstances of Interview
state—­Arkansas
name of worker—­Bernice Bowden
address—­1006 Oak Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
date—­November 2, 1938
subject—­Exslaves
[TR:  Repetitive information deleted from subsequent pages.]

1.  Name and address of informant—­Gracie Mitchell

2.  Date and time of interview—­November 1, 1938, 3:00 p.m.

3.  Place of interview—­117 Worthen Street

4.  Name and address of person, if any, who put you in touch with informant—­Bernice Wilburn, 101 Miller Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

5.  Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you—­None

6.  Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.—­A frame house (rented), bare floors, no window shades; a bed and some boxes and three straight chairs.  In an adjoining room were another bed, heating stove, two trunks, one straight chair, one rocking chair.  A third room the kitchen, contained cookstove and table and chairs.

Text of Interview

“They said I was born in Alabama.  My mother’s name was Sallie and my father was Andrew Wheeler.  I couldn’t tell when I was born—­my folks never did tell me that.  Belonged to Dr. Moore and when his daughter married he give my mother to her and she went to Mobile.  They said I wasn’t weaned yet.  My grandmother told me that.  She is dead now.  Don’t know nothin’ bout nary one o’ my white folks.  I don’t recollect nothin’ bout a one of ’em ’cept my old boss.  He took us to Texas and stayed till the niggers was all free and then he went back.  Good to me?  No ma’m—­no good there.  And if you didn’t work he’d see what was the matter.  Lived near Coffeyville in Upshaw county.  That’s whar my husband found me.  I was living with my aunt and uncle.  They said the reason I had such a good gift makin’ quilts was cause my mother was a seamstress.

“I cooked ’fore I married and I could make my own dresses, piece quilts and quilt.  That’s mostly what I done.  No laundry work.  I never did farm till I was married.  After we went to Chicago in 1922, I took care of other folks chillun, colored folks, while they was working in laundries and factories.  I sure has worked.  I ain’t nobody to what I was when I was first married.  I knowed how to turn, but I don’t know whar to turn now—­I ain’t able.