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 SOME,HIN!, BUT9IR E L CT (YMAKE DEY OWN PRODUCE DEN. OH, DEY LIVE VERY WELL. WE CALL IT GOOD LIVING AT DAT TrM(. 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 TO GE IN DAT D Y nN TrME D(YOOF-M SSANAME. 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 qOE lORN&jnDREPLANT AND 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 NEVnR-PAY US-NO-MOnEh. &lOubE&DEY DIDN'T ALLOW US NO CHOICE OF WHAT WE EAT AT DAT TrME. HAVEPLENTY MEAT AND CORN 2kREAD&jND-MOLASSES-MOST jLL DE TrME.&DnN&DEYLET US HAVE A GARDEN OF WE OWN AND WE HUNT POSSUM MANY A TIME AND CATCH FISH TOO. MEAT WAS DE THING DAT I LIKE-MO STLY. DEY GIVE US GOOD CLOTHES TO PUT-ON-OuR BAlK WHAT&DEY&HAeEMAKE 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 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 PEOPLES 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 SuPPnR DnR(.&IMARRY GEORGEAN 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 TnLL qOWMANY GRANDCHILLUN I GOT. MY MASSA AND MISSUS WAS MIGHTY PIOUS GOOD PEOPLE. DEY GO TO PREACHrNG DnRE tO qOPEWnLL-PRESBYTnRIjN CHuRCH jLL DE crmE.&DEMAN WHAT WAS DE PREACHER DERE 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 SrNG IT&DAT&IMI 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 FLOCK DEN. DnRE-J SONE 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 IN SLAVERY TIME AND I HAD TO STAY DERE HOME ALL DE TrME fH 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 NOTHIN BUT STAY HOME AN 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 YOU qOW-MjNY 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 BETWEnN DE WHITES jND DE lOLOrEDPEOPLES, BUT DERE WASN'T NONE OF DAT ROUND WHERE I STAY. DEY SAY SOME OF DE SLAVES-RuN AWAY&oORBB 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 COME, 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 ID)'T MAKE EM WORK ON DE BIG CHRISTM S D Y NDNN WYEARS 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 DEN JES LIKE DEY HAVE DESE D \S 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 DEM THING AND I AIN'T SCARED OF NOTHIN NEI,Hn. 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 DERE WID MISTER GREGG AND WORK FOR ONE THrRD-OF WHAT&DEYMAKE. COURSE DE WHITE FOLKS FURNISH ALL DE WEAR AND TEAR OF EVnRYTHrNG. DEY AIN'T NEVER HAVE NO SCHOOLS FOR DE COLORED PEOPLES NO WHERE ABOUT WHnRE I STAY BEFORE FREEDOM COME HERE. WASN'T LONG AFTER DE WAR DAT FREE SCHOOLS WAS 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 GON(. MISTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN, I AIN'T NEVER SEE HIM, BUT I KNOW HE WAS PRESIDnNT OF DE UNITED STATES. AIN'T NEVER SEE MISTER JEFFERSON DAVS-NEI,( .& (YWAS OPPOSITIONALIST DEN, I SURE KNOW DAT. IT JES LIKE DIS, I THINK DIS A BETTER DAY WE-LIVE rN DESE TrMES. WHnN fEBBE 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? WELL, DEY NEVER HAVE SO MUCH OF SOMETHING, BUT I RECOLLECT DEY MAKE DEY OwN 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 OF DE ROOMS. HAVE HOUSE RIGHT DERE ON DE GREGG PLANTATION. FAMILY WENT FROM AGE TO AGE IN DAT DAY EN TIME DEY OF MASSA NAME. I MEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER6WAS 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 +OE ORN jND-R PLjNT jNDSO 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. COUSE D(Y DIDN'T ALLOW US NO CHOICE OF WHAT WE EAT AT DAT TIME. HAVE PLENTY MEAT AND CORN BREAD AND MOLASSES MOST ALL DE TIME. DEN DEY LET US HAVE A7GjRDnNOF WE OWN AND WE HUNT POSSUM MANY A TIME AND CATCH FISH TOO. MEAT WAS DE THING DAT I LIKE MO STLY. DEY GIVE US GOOD CLOTHES TO PUT ON OUR BACK WHAT DEY8HAVE-M KEON 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-MjN7GuRL(Y&DA !.T ER OVER IN FLORENCE COUNTY. DONT KNOW EXACTLY HOW OLE I WAS DEN, BUT I CAN TELL 8>OU DIS MUCH, I WASN'T IN O HuRRY O-MjRY. jLL O O EDPEOPLES HAD TO DO TO M RRY 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 MARRY G O GEA N 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 GRANDCHILLUN I GOT. MY MASSA AND MISSUS WAS MIGHTY PIOUS GOOD PEOPLE. DEY GO TO PREACHING DERE OHOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ALL DE TIME. DE MAN WHAT WAS DE PREACHER DERE 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 SLUMBERI G8+OUR\: 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 FLOCK DEN. DERE JES ONE7GR AND REASON WHY I CANT SING RIGHT WELL DIS AFTERNOON, YOU IS TAKE ME ON DE SURPRI SE LIKE. I WAS JES A CHAP IN SLAVERY TIME AND I8HAD O ST Y D REHOME ALL DE TI ME 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 DE8+OUS(. DAT HOW WE PLAY BALL IN DEM TIMES. MY WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T DO NOTHIN BUT STAY HOME AN 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 YOU HOW 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 AND DE COLORED PEOPLES, BUT DERE WASN'T NONE OF DAT ROUND WHERE I STAY. DEY SAY SOME OF DE SLAVES RUN AW Y6FOR 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. *Y MASSA NEV R ID)'T6RK US8HRD IK(. O E S E D YWOULD COME, 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 DID)'T MAKE EM WORK ON DE BIG CHRISTMAS DAY AND NEW YEARS NEI,HE. NEV R8HAD 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. D(Y HAVE FUNERAL FOR DE COLORED PEOPLES DEN JES IKE D(YHAVE DESE DAYS 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 DEM THING AND I AIN'T SCARED OF NOTHIN NEITHE. ONT NEVER7PA 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. 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 SCHOOLS WAS 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 6wO]. I S6WENT O ONE OF DESE-N!HT2S. O S& (YHAVE ABOUT HERE NOT LONG GONE. MISTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN, I AIN'T NEVER SEE HIM,2BUT IKK OW8HE6W SPRESIDENT OF DE UNITED STATES. AIN'T NEVER SEE MISTER JEFFERSON DAVIS NEITHnR. D(Y6W S OPPOSITIONALIST DEN, I SURE KNOW DAT. IT JES LIKE DIS, I THINK DIS A BETTER DAY WE LIVE IN DESE TIMES. WHEN WE 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?