WASHINGTON DOZIER, AGE-90. SLAVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. S.C.#75 THIS HERE SURE IS WASHINGTON DOZIER. THAT IS WHAT THE HARD TIME-LEFT OF H IM. I WAS BORN AND RAISED THERE IN FLORENCE COUNTY THE EIGHTEENTH OF DECEMBER, 1847. DONT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER'S NAME WAS, BUT MY MOTHER TOLD ME HE WAS NAMED DOZIER. MY MOTHER WAS BECKY AND SHE BELONGED TO OLD MAN WILES GREGG THER E ON THE CHARLESTON ROAD. I HAVE TWO SISTERS AND ONE BROTHER, BUT NOT ALL OF ON E FATHER. I SUPPOSE BROTHER HENRY WAS MY WHOLE BROTHER AND FANNIE AND CAROLINE WAS JUST MY HALF SISTERS. WELL, DEY NEVER HAVE SO MUCH OF SOMETHING, BUT I RECOLLECT DEY-M KE D(YOWN PRODUCE DEN. OH, DEY LIVE VERY WELL. WE CALL IT pOOD-LIVr G AT&DAT3crm(. COURSE DE BEDDING DE COLORED PEOPLES HAVE WASN'T MUCH CAUSE DEY JES HAVE SOME KI ND OF HOME MADE STUFF DEN. WE RAISE IN A THREE ROOM HOUSE WHAT HAVE FLOOR ON TWO OF DE ROOMS. HAVE HOUSE RIGHT DERE ON DE GREGG PLANTATION. FAMILY WENT FROM AGE O AGE rN DAT DAY nN TrME DEYOF MASSA NAME. I MEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER WAS NAMED FANNIE GREGG. NOW, I TELL YOU HOW I COUNT FOR ME HAVE DE NAME DOZIER, I JES SUPPOSE DAT COME FROM ME FATHER. HAD TO DO SOME SORT OF WORK IN DEM DAYS LIKE HOE CORN AND REPLANT jND sO-ON LIKE DAT, BUT NEVER DIDN'T DO NO MAN WORK. WAS JES A HALF HAND, DAT IS ABOUT SO. DEY GIVE US PLENTY SOMETHING TO EAT DEN, BUT NEVER PAY US NO-MONEY. &lOuRbE&DEY DIDN'T ALLOW US NO CHOICE OF WHAT WE EAT AT DAT TrmE.&HAeEPLENTY MEAT AND CORN kREAD jND-MOLASSESMOST ALL DE TIME. DEN DEY LET US HAVE A GARDEN OF WE OWN AND WE HUNT POSSUM MANY A TIME AND CATCH FISH TOO. -MEAT WAS DE THrNG&DAT&ILIKE MO STLY. DEY GIVE US GOOD CLOTHES TO PUT ON OUR BACK WHAT DEY HAVEMAKE ON DE PLANTA TION AND IN DE WINTER, DEY GIVE US GOOD WARM CLOTHES. JES WEAR WHAT EVER DE WHIT E FOLKS GIVE US. DIDN'T TAKE NO EFFECT AT ALL ABOUT SUNDAY CLOTHES. FIRST TIME I MARRY I HAVE A VERY GOOD WEDDING. MARRY-OLE-MjN&GuRlEY&DAdGHT ER OVER IN FLORENCE COUNTY. DONT KNOW EXACTLY HOW OLE I WAS DEN, BUT I CAN TELL YOU DIS MUCH, I WASN'T IN NO HURRY TO MARRY. ALL COLOREDPEOPLES HAD TO DO TO M ARRY DEN WAS TO GO TO DEIR MASSA EN GET A PERMIT AND CONSIDER DEMSELVES MAN AND WIFE. I RECOLLECT DAT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WEDDING SUPPER DERE. I-MjRRY GnOrGEjN NA DE SECOND TIME AND I HAVE FOUR HEAD OF CHILLUN BY ME FIRST WIFE AND FOUR HEAD OF CHILLUN BY ME SECOND WIFE. NEVER COULDN'T TELL HOW MANY GRjNDCHrLLuN I&pOc. MY MASSA AND MISSUS WAS MIGHTY PIOUS GOOD PEOPLE. DEY pO tOPREACHING DERE TO HOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ALL DE TIME. DE MAN WHAT WAS DE-PREACHnR&DnrE&D EN WAS NAME FRIERSON. DE COLORED PEOPLES GO DERE TO DAT SAME CHURCH AND SAT IN D E GALLERY. YOU KNOW DEIR SPIRITUAL HYMNS AND DEIR REELS. I CAN SING ONE OF DEM DAT I USED TO SING IN MY SLUMBERING HOURS: NOW DE ANGELS SING DAT TO ME IN MY SLUMBERING HOUR AND DEY SING IT DAT I-MI GHT GIVE IT DE LIVING HERE ON DIS EARTH. WELL, I KNOW RIGHT SMART OF DEM SONG CA USE ACCORDING TO MY EXPERIENCE, DE HYMN BOOK WHAT TO FENCE DE HUMAN FAMILY IN. I GOT A GOOD SET OF-LUNGS AND I WAS DE-ONE WHAT-lED&DE&oLo KDEN. DERE JES ONE GR AND REASON WHY I CANT SING RIGHT WELL DIS AFTERNOON, YOU IS TAKE ME ON DE SURPRI SE LIKE. I WAS JES A CHAP rN sLAVnRY TrME jND I HAD tO2ScAY&DnrEHOME ALL DE TIME WH ERE DERE DIDN'T NO HARM COME ABOUT ME. DEY LET WE CHILLUN PLAY MARBLES AND BALL ALL WE WANT TO DEN. JES CHUNCK DE BALL TO ONE ANOTHER OVER DE HOUSE. DAT HOW WE PLAY BALL IN DEM TIMES. MY WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T mO-NOTHrNBBUT2ScAY OmE&jN D GO TO CHURCH MEETINGS. DEY NEVER DIDN'T PUNISH NONE OF DEY COLORED PEOPLES AND DIDN'T ALLOW NO OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT NEITHnR. I lOulmN'T cnLL yOUHOW MANY SLA VES DEY OWN BUT DEY HAVE MORE SLAVES BY DE INCREASE OF DEY FAMILIES. DEY HAVE SO MANY DAT SOME OF DE TIME DEY WOULD HIRE SOME OF DEM OUT TO ANOTHER PLANTATIO N. NEVER DIDN'T SEE EM SELL NONE OF DEY COLORED PEOPLES. I KNOW DIS MUCH, DAT WAS A RIGHT GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. I HEARD TELL OF TROUBLE BETWEEN DE WHITES&jnD&DE& OLOrEDPEOPLES, BUT DERE WASN'T NONE OF DAT ROUND WHERE I STAY. DEY SAY SOME OF DE SLAVES RUN AWAY oOR B AD TREATMENT AND STAY IN DE WOODS. DIDN'T HAVE NO JAILS DEN AND WHEN DEY WOULD C ATCH EM, DEY WOULD BUFF EM AND GAG EM AND HOSS WHIP EM. NOW, I NEVER SEE NONE O F DAT BUT I HEARD TELL OF IT. MY MASSA NEVER DIDN'T WORK US HARD LIKE. lOuRSE AS DE DAY wOuLD lOmE,&DE HANDS HAD TO GO UP TO DE BIG HOUSE AND GO ABOUT DEIR BUSINESS, BUT DEY ALWAYS KNOCK OFF EARLY AN A SATURDAY EVENING AND LET EVERYBODY DO JES WHAT DEY WANNA DE RE ON DE PLANTATION. NEVER DIDN'T USE NO HORN TO WAKE DEY COLORED PEOPLES UP AND DImN'T MAKE EM wORK-ON DE2BG CqRStM S&D Y& nDNEW YEARS NEITHER. NEVER HAD N O OTHER HOLIDAYS BUT DEM TWO. MY MASSA GIVE ALL HIS COLORED PEOPLES A BIG CHRIS TMAS DINNER TO DE WHITE FOLKS HOUSE. JES HAVE PLENTY OF FRESH MEAT AND RICE AND BISCUIT AND CAKE FOR EVERYBODY DAT DAY. DEY HAVE FUNERAL FOR DE COLORED PEOPLES DnN-JES-LrKE DEY&HAeE&D bEDAYS EXCEPT DEY NEVER HAVE NO PREACHER ABOUT. ALL DE SLAVES STOP WORKING FOR DE FUNER AL AND DEY WOULD JES CARRY DE BODY AND PERMIT IT TO DE GROUND AS WAS DE USUAL TH ING DE DO. COURSE DEY HAVE PLENTY SINGING DERE. DEM THING WHAT PEOPLE CALL GHOSTS, DEY IS EVIL WALKS. I KNOW DIS-MUCH, DE S PIRIT OF DE BODY TRAVELS AND DAT DE TRUTH SURE AS I LIVING HERE. COURSE I AIN'T NEVER SEE NONE OF DnM THrNG jND I ArN'T2SCjREDOF NOTHIN NEITHER. DONT NEVER PA Y NO ATTENTION TO NO BLACK CAT AND THING LIKE DAT. AIN'T BOTHER WID NONE OF DEM CHARM NEITHER. DE PEOPLES USED TO HAVE DEIR OWN DOCTOR BOOK AND DEY SEARCH IN DAT AND USE WHAT IT SAY DO. DEY NEVER USE NO MEDICINE AT ALL DEN BUT CALOMEL AND CASTOR OIL AND TURPENTINE. I SURE MEMBER WHEN DE FIRST GUN SHOOT DERE TO FORT SUMTER. AS FAR AS I CAN RECOLLECT, IT WAS IN JUNE. DE YANKEES COME THROUGH DERE AND TO MY KNOWING, DEY BEHAVED VERY WELL. JES ASK MY MASSA FOR SOMETHING TO EAT AND DAT WAS ALL DEY DON E. DERE SURE WAS A REJOICING AMONG SOME OF DE COLORED PEOPLES WHEN DEY TELL EM DEY WAS FREE AS DE WHITE FOLKS WAS. SOME OF DEM LEAVE DEIR MASSA'S PLANTATION JES AS SOON AS DEY KNEW DEY WAS FREE, BUT WE NEVER DO DAT. JES STAYED RIGHT ON DERE WID MISTER GREGG AND WORK FOR ONE THIRD OF WHAT DEY MAKE. COURSE DE WHITE FOLKS FURNISH ALL DE WEAR AND TEAR OF EVERYTHING. D(Y AI)'T NEVER HAVE NO SCHOOLS FOR DE OREDP P SN OWHERE ABOUT WHERE I STAY BEFORE FREEDOM COME HERE. WASN'T LONG AFTER DE WAR DAT6oREE2S. OO SWAS OPEN UP DERE. IT JES LIKE DIS, I AIN'T BOTHER WID DEM SCHOOLS MUCH DEN, BUT I CA N READ RIGHT SMART. JES CATCH IT AS I COME ALONG AND WHAT I CATCH, I PUT DAT TO WORK. I IS WENT TO ONE OF DESE NIGHT SCHOOLS DEY HAVE ABOUT HERE NOT LONG GONE. MISTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN, I AIN'T NEVER SEE HIM, BUT I KNOW HE WAS PRESIDENT OF DE UNITED STATES. AIN'T NEVER SEE MISTER J FFE N D SNN ,( .& (YWAS OPPOSITIONALIST DEN, I SURE KNOW DAT. IT JES LIKE DIS, I THINK DIS A BETTER DAY WE-LIVE rN D SE TrM .6 (nNWE BE LONG TO DE WHITE FOLKS, WE LIVE , AND AFTER WE WAS FREE WE LIVE RIGHT ON. I THIN K BEING FREE DE BEST TIME TO LIVE. BETTER TO BE LOOSE DEN TIED CAUSE DONT CARE HOW GOOD YOUR OWNER, YOU HAD TO BE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION, AINT THAT RIGH T? 6WEL$, D(Y NEVER HAVE SO MUCH OF SOME,HI !, BUT I9RE OLLECT D(Y MAKE (YOWN PRODUCE DEN. OH, DEY LIVE VERY WELL. WE CALL IT GOOD LIVING AT DAT TIME. COURSE DE BEDDING DE COLORED PEOPLES HAVE WASN'T MUCH CAUSE DEY JES HAVE SOME KI ND OF HOME MADE STUFF DEN. WE RAISE IN A THREE ROOM HOUSE WHAT HAVE FLOOR ON TWO 6OF DEOOM\.8HAVE8+OUSE9R!HT DERE6ON DE7R GG7PLANTA ).FAMILY WENT FROM AGE TO AGE IN DAT DAY EN TIME DEY OF MASSA NAME. I MEMBER *Y GRAND O,H R6WAS NAMED FANNIE GREGG. NOW, I TELL YOU HOW I COUNT FOR ME HAVE DE NAME DOZIER, I JES SUPPOSE DAT COME FROM ME FATHER. 8HAD TO DO SOME SORT OF WORK IN DEM DAYS LIKE HOE CORN AND R PLANT AND2 OON LIKE DAT, BUT NEVER DIDN'T DO NO MAN WORK. WAS JES A HALF HAND, DAT IS ABOUT SO. D(Y7GIVE S-PLnNTY2sOMETHr G O EAT Dn),2BUTNEVER PAY US NO MONEY. COURSE DEY DIDN'T ALLOW US NO CHOICE OF WHAT WE EAT AT DAT TIME. HAVE PLENTY MEAT AND ORN BREAD AND MOLASSES MOST ALL DE TIM(. DEN D(Y LET USHAVE A GARDEN OF WE OWN AND WE HUNT POSSUM MANY A TIME AND CATCH FISH TOO. MEAT WAS DE ,HI G DAT9I IKE O STLY. DEY GIVE US GOOD CLOTHES TO PUT ON OUR BACK WHAT DEY HAVE MAKE6ON DEPPLANTA TION AND IN DE WINTER, DEY GIVE US GOOD WARM CLOTHES. JES WEAR WHAT EVER DE WHIT E FOLKS GIVE US. DIDN'T TAKE NO EFFECT AT ALL ABOUT SUNDAY CLOTHES. FIRST TIME I MARRY I HAVE A VnRY pOOD WEDDrNG.-MjRRYOLE MAN GURLEY DAUGHT ER OVER IN FLORENCE COUNTY. DONT KNOW EXACTLY HOW OLE I WAS DEN, BUT I CAN TELL YOU DIS MUCH, I WASN'T IN NO HURRY TO MARRY. ALL COLORED-P PL S HAD O O OM ARRY DEN WAS TO GO TO DEIR MASSA EN GET A PERMIT AND CONSIDER DEMSELVES MAN AND WIFE. I RECOLLECT DAT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD WEDDING SUPPER DERE. I-MjRRY GnORGEjN NA DE SECOND TIME AND I HAVE FOUR HEAD OF CHILLUN BY ME FIRST WIFE AND FOUR HEAD OF CHILLUN BY ME SECOND WIFE. NEVER COULDN'T TELL HOW-MjNY pRjNDCHrLLuN IG . MY MASSA AND MISSUS WAS MIGHTY PIOUS GOOD PEOPLE. DEY GO TO PREACHING DERE TO HOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ALL DE TIME. DE MAN WHAT WAS DE-PREACHnR DnrE D EN WAS NAME FRIERSON. DE COLORED PEOPLES GO DERE TO DAT SAME CHURCH AND SAT IN D E GALLERY. YOU KNOW DEIR SPIRITUAL HYMNS AND DEIR REELS. I CAN SING ONE OF DEM DAT I USED TO SING IN MY SLUMBERING HOURS: NOW DE ANGELS SING DAT TO ME IN MY SLUMBERI G8+OUR AND D(Y2Sr G9IT DAT9IMI GHT GIVE IT DE LIVING HERE ON DIS EARTH. WELL, I KNOW RIGHT SMART OF DEM SONG CA USE ACCORDING TO MY EXPERIENCE, DE HYMN BOOK WHAT TO FENCE DE HUMAN FAMILY IN. I GOT A GOOD SET OF LUNGS AND I WAS DE ONE WHAT LED DE6o O K n). EJES ONE GR AND REASON WHY I CANT SING RIGHT WELL DIS AFTERNOON, YOU IS TAKE ME ON DE SURPRI SE LIKE. I6W S-J S A CH P rN2sLAVnRY TrME jND I8HAD3 OSTAY DERE HOME ALL DE TIME WH ERE DERE DIDN'T NO HARM COME ABOUT ME. DEY LET WE CHILLUN PLAY MARBLES AND BALL ALL WE WANT TO DEN. JES CHUNCK DE BALL TO ONE ANOTHER OVER DE HOUSE. DAT HOW WE PLAY BALL IN DEM TIMES. MY WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T DO O,HIN2BUT2ST Y8 OME jN D GO TO CHURCH MEETINGS. DEY NEVER DIDN'T PUNISH NONE OF DEY COLORED PEOPLES AND DIDN'T ALLOW NO OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT NEITHER. I COULDN'T TELL YOU8 OW-M )YSLA VES DEY OWN BUT DEY HAVE MORE SLAVES BY DE INCREASE OF DEY FAMILIES. DEY HAVE SO MANY DAT SOME OF DE TIME DEY WOULD HIRE SOME OF DEM OUT TO ANOTHER PLANTATIO N. NEVER DIDN'T SEE EM SELL NONE OF DEY COLORED PEOPLES. I KNOW DIS MUCH, DAT WAS A RIGHT GOOD PLACE TO LIVE. I HEARD TELL OF TROUBLE BETWEEN DE WHITES AND DE COLORED PEOPLES, BUT DERE 6WAS)'T ONE OF DATOUND6>HERE I ST Y. D(Y S Y O EOF DE SLAVES RUN AWAY FOR B AD TREATMENT AND STAY IN DE WOODS. DIDN'T HAVE NO JAILS DEN AND WHEN DEY WOULD C ATCH EM, DEY WOULD BUFF EM AND GAG EM AND HOSS WHIP EM. NOW, I NEVER SEE NONE O F DAT BUT I HEARD TELL OF IT. MY MASSA NEVER DIDN'T WORK US HARD LIKE. COURSE AS DE DAY WOULD OM(, E HANDS HAD TO GO UP TO DE BIG HOUSE AND GO ABOUT DEIR BUSINESS, BUT DEY ALWAYS KNOCK OFF EARLY AN A SATURDAY EVENING AND LET EVERYBODY DO JES WHAT DEY WANNA DE RE ON DE PLANTATION. NEVER DIDN'T USE NO HORN TO WAKE DEY COLORED PEOPLES UP AND DIDN'T MAKE EM WORK ON DE BIG CHRISTMAS DAY AND NEW YEARS NEI,HE. NEVER8HAD N O OTHER HOLIDAYS BUT DEM TWO. MY MASSA GIVE ALL HIS COLORED PEOPLES A BIG CHRIS TMAS DINNER TO DE WHITE FOLKS HOUSE. JES HAVE PLENTY OF FRESH MEAT AND RICE AND BISCUIT AND CAKE FOR EVERYBODY DAT DAY. DEY HAVE FUNERAL FOR DE COLORED PEOPLES DEN JES LIKE DEY HAVE DESE D YS EXCEPT DEY NEVER HAVE NO PREACHER ABOUT. ALL DE SLAVES STOP WORKING FOR DE FUNER AL AND DEY WOULD JES CARRY DE BODY AND PERMIT IT TO DE GROUND AS WAS DE USUAL TH ING DE DO. COURSE DEY HAVE PLENTY SINGING DERE. DEM THING WHAT PEOPLE CALL GHOSTS, DEY IS EVIL6Wj K\. IKK OW SMUCH, DE S PIRIT OF DE BODY TRAVELS AND DAT DE TRUTH SURE AS I LIVING HERE. COURSE I AIN'T NEVER SEE NONE OF DEM THING AND I AIN'T SCjREDOOF- O,HrNNNEI,(n. TNEVER PA Y NO ATTENTION TO NO BLACK CAT AND THING LIKE DAT. AIN'T BOTHER WID NONE OF DEM CHARM NEITHER. DE PEOPLES USED TO HAVE DEIR OWN DOCTOR BOOK AND DEY SEARCH IN DAT AND USE WHAT IT SAY DO. DEY NEVER USE NO MEDICINE AT ALL DEN BUT CALOMEL AND CASTOR OIL AND TURPENTINE. I SURE MEMBER WHEN DE FIRST GUN SHOOT DERE TO FORT SUMTER. AS FAR AS I CAN RECOLLECT, IT WAS IN JUNE. DE YANKEES COME THROUGH DERE AND TO MY KNOWING, DEY BEHAVED VERY WELL. JES ASK MY MASSA FOR SOMETHING TO EAT AND DAT WAS ALL DEY DON E. DERE SURE WAS A REJOICING AMONG SOME OF DE COLORED PEOPLES WHEN DEY TELL EM DEY WAS FREE AS DE WHITE FOLKS WAS. SOME OF DEM LEAVE DEIR MASSA'S PLANTATION JES AS SOON AS DEY KNEW DEY WAS FREE, BUT WE NEVER DO DAT. JES STAYED RIGHT ON DnRE WID-MSTnR pREGG jND wORK oOR-ONE ,HrRDOF WHAT DEY MAKE. COURSE DE WHITE FOLKS FURNISH ALL DE WEAR AND TEAR OF EVnRYTHr G. DEY AIN'T NEVER HAVE NO SCHOOLS FOR DE COLORED PEOPLES NO WHERE ABOUT WHERE I STAY BEFORE FREEDOM COME HERE. WASN'T LONG AFTER DE WAR DAT FREE SCqOOLS6W S OPEN UP DERE. IT JES LIKE DIS, I AIN'T BOTHER WID DEM SCHOOLS MUCH DEN, BUT I CA N READ RIGHT SMART. JES CATCH IT AS I COME ALONG AND WHAT I CATCH, I PUT DAT TO WORK. I IS WENT TO ONE OF DESE NIGHT SCHOOLS DEY HAVE ABOUT HnREN OTLONG GONE. MISTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN, I AIN'T NEVER SEE HIM, BUT I KNOW HE WAS PRESIDENT OF DE UNITED STATES. AIN'T NEVER SEE MISTnR-J FFn ON D VSNEITHER. DEY WAS OPPOSITIONALIST DEN, I SURE KNOW DAT. IT JES LIKE DIS, I THINK DIS A BETTER DAY WE LIVE IN DESE TrMES. WHnN6WEBE LONG TO DE WHITE FOLKS, WE LIVE , AND AFTER WE WAS FREE WE LIVE RIGHT ON. I THIN K BEING FREE DE BEST TIME TO LIVE. BETTER TO BE LOOSE DEN TIED CAUSE DONT CARE HOW GOOD YOUR OWNER, YOU HAD TO BE UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION, AINT THAT RIGH T?