LIZZIE JOHNSON               1162-ARK/#017                                   010
         I WAS BORN AT HOLLY SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI. MY MOTHER WAS FIFTEEN YEARS O
LD WHEN THE SURRENDER COME ON. HER NAME WAS ALICE AIRS. MAMA SAID SHE AND GRANDM
A WAS SOLD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND NEVER SEEN NONE OF HER FOLKS AFTER THEY WAS S
OLD. THE SURRENDER COME ON. THEY QUIT AND WENT ON WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT COM
E BY. MAMA GOT AWAY FROM THEM AND MARRIED THE SECOND YEAR OF THE SURRENDER. SHE
SAID SHE REALLY GOT MARRIED; SHE DIDN'T JUMP THE BROOM. MAMA WAS A COOK IN WAR T
IMES. GRANDMA CHURNED AND WORKED IN THE FIELD. GRANDMA LIVED IN TO HERSELF BUT M
AMA SLEPT ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR. THEY HAD A BIG PANTRY BUILT INSIDE THE KITCHEN A
ND IN BOTH DOORS WAS A SAWED-OUT PLACE SO THE CATS COULD COME AND GO.
         MY FATHER WAS SOLD DURING OF THE WAR TOO BUT HE NEVER SAID MUCH ABOUT I
T. HE SAID SOME OF THE SLAVES WOULD GO IN THE WOODS AND THE MASTERS WOULD BE AFR
AID TO GO HUNT THEM OUT WITHOUT DOGS. THEY MADE BOWS AND ARROWS IN THE WOODS.
         I HEARD MY PARENTS TELL ABOUT THE KU KLUX COME AND MADE THEM COOK THEM
THEM
SOMETHING TO EAT. THEY DRUNK WATER WHILE SHE WAS COOKING. I HEARD THEM SAY THEY
WOULD GET WHOOPED IF THEY SOT AROUND WITH A BOOK IN THEIR HAND. WHEN COMPANY WOU
LD COME THEY WOULD TURN THE POT DOWN AND CLOSE THE SHUTTERS AND DOORS. THEY HAD
PREACHING AND PRAYED THAT WAY. THE  POT WAS TO DROWN OUT THE SOUND.
         THEY SAID ONE MAN WOULD SELL OFF HIS SCRAWNY NIGGERS. HE WANTED FINE LO
OKING STOCK ON HIS PLACE. HE COULDN'T SELL REAL OLD FOLKS. THEY KEPT THEM TAKING
CARE OF THE CHILDREN AND RAISING CHICKENS, TURKEYS, DUCKS, GEESE, AND MADE SOME
OF THEM CHURN AND MILK.
         MY STEPFATHER SAID HE KNOWED A MAN MARRIED A WOMAN AFTER FREEDOM AND FO
UND OUT SHE WAS HIS MOTHER. HE HAD BEEN SOLD FROM HER WHEN HE WAS A BABY. THEY Q
UIT AND HE MARRIED AG'IN. HE HAD A SCAR ON HIS THIGH SHE RECOLLECTED. THE SCAR W
AS RIGHT THERE WHEN HE WAS GROWN. THAT BROUGHT UP MORE TALK AND THEY TRACED HIM
UP TO BE HER OWN BOY.
         HESTER SWAFFORD DIED HERE IN BISCOE ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. SAID SHE RUN
AWAY FROM HER OWNERS AND WALKED TO MEMPHIS. THEY TOOK HER UP OVER THERE. HER MAS
TER SENT ONE OF THE OVERSEERS FOR HER. SHE RODE ASTRADDLE BEHIND HIM BACK. THEY
GOT BACK ABOUT DAYLIGHT. THEY WHOOPED HER AWFUL AND RUBBED SALT AND PEPEPPER IN
THE GASHES, AND ANOTHER MAN STOOD BY HANDED HER A HOE. SHE HAD TO CHOP COTTON AL
L DAY LONG. THE WOMEN ON THE PLACE WOULD DOCTOR HER SORES.
         GRANDMA SAID SHE REMEMBERED THE STARS FALLING. SHE SAID IT TURNED DARK
AND SEEM LIKE TWO HOURS SPARKLES FELL. THEY SAID STARS FELL. SHE SAID IT WAS BAD
 TIMES. PEOPLE WAS SCARED HALF TO DEATH. MULES AND HORSES JUST RACED. SHE SAID I
T TOOK PLACE UP IN THE DAY. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME-PIECES TO KNWO THE TIME IT COM
E ON.
         YOUNG FOLKS WILL BE YOUNG THE WAY I SEE TI. THEY AIN'T MUCH DIFFERENT.
TIMES IS SURE 'NOUGH HARD FOR OLD NO 'COUNT FOLKS. YOUNG FOLKS MAKES THEIR MONEY
 AND SPENDS IT. WE OLD FOLKS SETS BACK NEEDING. TIMES IS LOTS DIFFERENT NOW. IT
DIDN'T USED TO BE THAT WAY.
  X   XXX
STP