JULIA BROWN
     I WAS BORN FOUR MILES FROM COMMERCE, GEORGIA, AND WAS THIRTEEN YEARS OLD AT
 SURRENDER.  I BELONGED TO THE NASH FAMILY--THREE OLD MAID SISTER\.  *Y-MjmABEL
ONGED TO THE NASHES AND MY PAPA BELONGED TO GENERAL BURNS;  HE WAS A OFFICER IN
THE WAR.  THERE WERE SIX OF US CHILLENS, LUCY, MELVINA, JOHNNIE, CALLIE, JOE AND
 M(.  WE DIDN'T STAY TOGETHER LONG, AS WE WAS7GIVE6OUT TO DIFFERENT7P  PL(. 3 (E
 NASHES DIDN'T BELIEVE IN SELLING SLAVES AND WE WAS KNOWN AS THEIR NIGGERS.  THE
Y SOLD ONE ONCE 'CAUSE THE OTHER SLAVES SAID THEY WOULD KILL HIM 'CAUSE HE HAD A
 BABY BY HIS OWN DAUGHTER.  SO TO KEEP HIM FROM BEIN' KILT, THEY SOLD8HIM.
     MY MAMA DIED THE YEAR OF SURRENDER.  I DIDN'T FARE WELL AFTER HER DEATH. II
 HAD SUCH A HARD TIME.  I WAS GIVE TO THE MITCHELL FAMILY AND THEY DONE EVnRY lR
UEL THING THEY COULD TO ME.  I SLEPT ON THE FLOOR NINE YEARS, WINTER AND SUMMER,
 SICK OR WELL.  I NEVER WORE ANYTHING BUT A COTTON DRES\, A \ IM*Y  ND& r    .
 THAT WOMAN DIDN'T CARE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NIGGERS.  SOMETIME  SHE WOULD TAKE
US TO CHURCH.  WE'D WALK TO THE CHURCH HOUSE.  I NEVER WENT NOWHERE ELSE.  THAT
WOMAN TOOK DELIGHT IN CALLIN' SLAVES.  SHE'D LASH US WITH A COWHIDE WHIP.  I HAD
 TO SHIFT FOR MYSELF.
     THEY DIDN'T MIND THE SLAVES MATIN', BUT THEY WANTED ,HEIR-NGGnS  O-m RY
ONLY AMONGST THEM ON THEIR PLACE.  THEY DIDN'T ALLOW 'EM TO MATE WITH OTHER SLAV
ES FROM OTHER PLACES.  WHEN THE WOMEN HAD BABIES THEY WAS TREATED KIND A5D THEY
LET 'EM STAY IN.  WE CALLED IT LAY IN, JUST ABOUT LIKE THEY DO NOW.  WE DIDN'T G
O TO NO HOSPITALS AS THEY DO NOW.  WE JUST HAD OUR BABIES AND A GRANNY TO CATCH
'EM.  WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE PAINEASIN' MEDICINES THEN.  THE GRANNY WOULD PUT A
RUSTY PIECE OF TIN OR A AX UNDER THE MATTRESS A5D THIS WOULD EASE THE PAIN.  THI
S WAS TO CUT OFF THE AFTER PAINS AND IT SURE DID, TOO.  WE'D SET UP THE FIFTH DA
Y AND AFTER THE LAY IN TIME WAS UP WE WAS ALLOWED TO WALK OUTDOORS AND THEY TOLD
 US TO WALK AROUND THE HOUSE JUST ONCE AND COME IN THE HOUSE.  THIS WAS tO-KEnP
US FROM TAKIN' A 'LAPSE.
     WE WASN'T ALLOWED TO GO AROUND AND HAVE PLEASURE AS THE FOLKS mOES  OD Y.
WE HAD TO HAVE PASSES TO GO WHEREVER WE WANTED.  WHEN WE'D GET OUT THERE WAS A B
UNCH OF WHITE MEN CALLED THE PATTY ROLLERS.  THEY'D COME IN AND SEE IF ALL US HA
D PASSES, AND IF THEY FOUND ANY WHO DIDN'T HAVE A PASS, HE WAS WHIPPED, GIVE 50
OR MORE LASHES--AND THEY'D COUNT THEM LASHES.  IF THEY SAID A HUNDRED, YOU GOT A
 HUNDRED.  THEY WAS SOMETHIN' LIKE THE KU KLUX.  WE WAS 'FRAID TO TELL OUR MASTE
RS ABOUT THE PATTY ROLLERS BECAUSE WE WAS SCARED THEY'D WHIP UP AGAIN, FOR WE WA
S TOLD NOT TO TELL.  THEY'D SING A LITTLE DITTY;  IT WENT SOMETHIN' LIKE THIS:
RUN, NIGGER, RUN.  DE PATTY ROLLERS'LL GET YOU.  RUN, NIGGER, RUN.  YOU'D BETTER
7GET AWAY.  WE WAS AFRAID  O7 O A)?PLAC(.
     SLAVES WAS TREATED IN MOST CASES LIKE CATTLE.  A MAN WENT ABOUT THE& O   Y
 BUYIN' UP SLAVES LIKE BUYIN' UP CATTLE A5D THE LIKE, AND HE WAS CALLED A sPECuL
ATOR.  THEN HE'D SELL 'EM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.  OH] IT WAS PITIFUL TO SEE CHIL
LEN TAKEN FROM THEIR MOTHERS' BREASTS, MOTHERS SOLD, HUSBANDS SOLD FROM WIVES.
ONE WOMAN HE WAS TO BUY HAD A BABY, AND OF COURSE THE BABY COME BEFORE HE BOUGHT
 HER AND HE WOULDN'T BUY THE BABY, SAID HE HADN'T BARGAINED TO BUY THE B [Y,  OO
 AND HE JUST WOULDN'T.
     MY UNCLE WAS MARRIED, BUT HE WAS OWNED BY ONE MASTER AND HIS6W FE6f SOWNED
  BY ANOTHER.  HE WAS ALLOWED TO VISIT HIS WIFE ON WEDNESDAY AND WHnN HE WnNT2BA
CK ON SATURDAY HIS WIFE HAD BEEN BOUGHT BY THE SPECULATOR AND HE NEVER DID KNOW
WHERE SHE WAS.
     I WORKED HARD ALWAYS.  YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT A HARD TrME I HA<. I SPLIT R
AILS LIKE A MAN.  I USED A HUGE GLUT AND A IRON WEDGE DROVE INTO THE WOOD WITH A
 MAUL, AND THIS WOULD SPLIT THE WOOD.  I HELP SPIN THE COTtON rN O3 q EADFOR OU
R CLOTHES.  THE THREAD WAS MADE INTO BIG BROACHES--4 BROACHES MADE 4 CUTS, OR ON
E HANK.  AFTER THE THREAD WAS MADE WE USED A LOOM TO WEAVE THE CLOTH.  WE HAD NO
 SEWIN' MACHINE--HAD TO SEW BY HAND.  MY MISTRESS HAD A BIG SILVER BrRD jND2 HE
WOULD ALWAYS CATCH THE CLOTH IN THE BIRD'S BILL AND THIS WOULD HOLD IT FOR HER T
O SEW.
     I DIDN'T GET TO HjNmLE MONEY WHnN I6W S8 Ou !.  IWORKED FROM SUNUP TO SUND
OWN.  WE NEVER HAD OVERSEERS LIKE SOME OF THE SLAVES.  WE WAS GIVE SO MUCH WORK
TO DO IN A DAY AND IF THE WHITE FOLKS WENT OFF ON A VACATION THEY WOULD GIVE US
SO MUCH WORK TO DO WHILE THEY WAS GONE AND WE BETTER HAVE ALL OF THAT DONE, TOO,
 WHEN THEY'D COME HOME.
     THEY MADE ME HOE WHEN I WAS A CHILD A5D I'D KEEP RIGHT UP WITH THE-OTHnRS,
'CAUSE THEY'D TELL ME THAT IF I GOT BEHIND A RUNAWAY NIGGER WOULD GET ME AND SPL
IT OPEN MY HEAD AND GET THE MILK OUTEN IT.  OF COURSE, I DIDN'T KNOW THEN THAT W
EREN'T TRUE.  I BELIEVED EVERYTHING THEY TOLD ME AND THAT MADE ME WORK THE HARDE
R.
     SOME OF THE WHITE FOLKS WAS VERY KIND TO THEIR SLAVES.  SOME DID-NOTBB lIEV
E IN SLAVERY AND SOME FREED THEM BEFORE THE WAR AND EVEN GIVE 'EM LAND AND
HOMES.  SOME WOULD GIVE THE NIGGERS MEAL, LARD, AND LIKE THAT.
     THERE WAS A WHITE MAN, MISTER JIM, THAT WAS VERY MEAN TO THE2sLAV S. HH((D
GO ROUND AND BEAT 'EM.  HE'D EVEN GO TO THE LITTLE HOMES, TEAR DOWN THE CHIMNEYS
 AND  O ALL  ORTS OF CRUEL THINGS.  ,HE . r N(\SWAS MADE OF MUD AND STRAW AND S
TICKS;  THEY WAS POWERFUL STRONG, TOO.  MISTER JIM WAS JUST A MEAN MAN, AND WHEN
 HE DIED WE ALL SAID GOD GOT TIRED OF MISTER JIM BEING SO MEAN AND-KrLT&Hr .
     WHEN THEY LAID HIM OUT ON THE COOLIN' BOARD, EVERYBODY WAS2SETcrN'ROUND, M
OANIN' OVER HIS DEATH, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MISTER JIM ROLLED OFFEN THE COOLIN' B
OARD.  SUCH A RUNNIN' AND GETTIN' OUTEN THAT ROOM YOU NEVER SAW]  WE SAID MISTER
 JIM WAS TRYIN' TO RUN THE NIGGERS AND WE WAS 'FRAID TO GO ABOUT ATNIGHT.  I BE
LIEVE IT THEN.  NOW THAT THEY'S EMBALMIN' I KNOW THAT MUST HAVE BEEN GAS AND HE
WAS PURGIN' FOR THEY DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' ABOUT EMBALMIN' THEN.  THEY DIDN'T KEEP
 DEAD FOLKS OUTEN THE GROUND LONG IN THEM DAYS.
     DOCTORS WASN'T SO PLENTIFUL THEN.  THEY'D GO ROUND IN BUGGI S jNDON
HOSSES.  THEM THAT RODE ON A HOSS HAD SADDLE POCKETS JUST FILLED WITH LITTLE BOT
TLES AND LOTS OF THEM.  HE'D TRY ONE MEDICINE A5D IF IT DIDN'T DO NO GOOD HE'D T
RY ANOTHER UNTIL IT DID DO GOOD.  AND WHEN THE DOCTOR WENT TO SEE A SICK PERSON
HE'D STAY RIGHT THERE UNTIL HE WAS BETTER.  HE DIDN'T JUST COME IN AND WRITE A P
RESCRIPTION FOR SOMEBODY TO TAKE TO A DRUGSTORE.
     WE USED HERBS A LOT IN THEM DAYS.  WHEN A BODY HAD DROPSY WE'D2SET&HrM&rNA
 TEPID BATH MADE OF MULLEIN LEAVES.  THERE WAS A JIMSONWEED WE'D  SEFoORRHEUMAT
ISM, AND FOR ASTHMA WE'D USE TEA MADE OF CHESTNUT LEAVES.  WE'D GET THE CHESTNUT
 LEAVE\, DY ,HEM IN ,HE2SUN J ST-L KE TEA-LE V  ,& nDWE WOULDN'T LET THEM LEAV
ES GET WET FOR NOTHIN' IN THE WORLD WHILE THEY WAS DRYIN'.  WE'D TAKE POKE COLLA
RD ROOTS, BOIL THEM, AND THEN TAKE SUGAR AND MAKE A SYRUP.  THIS WAS BEST THING
FOR ASTHMA.  IT WAS KNOWN TO CURE IT, TOO.  FOR COLDS AND SUCH WE USED
HOREHOUND; MADE CANDY OUTEN IT WITH BROWN SUGAR.  WE USED LOTS OF ROCK CANDY AND
 WHISKEY FOR COLDS, TOO.  THEY HAD A REMEDY THAT THEY USED FOR CONSUMPTrON--T KE
 DRY COW MANURE, MAKE TEA OF THIS, AND FLAVOR IT WI,H MINT ANDGIVE IT TO THE SI
CK PERSON.  WE DIDN'T NEED MANY DOCTORS THEN FOR WE DIDN'T HAVE SO MUCH SICKNESS
 IN THEM DAYS, AND NATURAL$Y THEY DIDN'T DIE2 O6F S,. FOLKS LIVED A LONG TIME T
HEN.  THEY USED A LOT OF PEACH TREE LEAVES, TOO, FOR FEVER, AND WHEN THE STOMACH
 GOT UPSET WE'D CRUSH THE LEAVES, POUR WATER OVER THE*, A5D6WOuLm)'T-LET ,(nM  R
INK ANY OTHER KIND OF WATER TILL THEY WAS BETTER.  I STILL BELIEVES IN THEM OLD
HOMEMADE MEDICINES, TOO, AND I DON'T BELIEVE IN SO MANY DOCTORS.
     WE DIDN'T HAVE STOVES PLENTIFUL THEN;  JUST OVENS WE SET IN THE6FrR PLAC(.
   'SE  OTED A MA)Y A ARMFUL OF BARK-P OODOLD HICKORY BARK TO COOK WITH.  WE'D
COOK LIGHT BREAD--BOTH FLOUR AND CORN.  THE YEAST FOR THIS BREAD WAS MADE FROM H
OPS.  COALS OF FIRE WAS PUT ON TOP OF THE OVEN AND UNDER THE BOTTOM, TOO.  EVERY
THING WAS COOKED ON COALS FROM A WOOD FIRE--COFFEE AND ALL.  THE VICTUALS WAS GO
OD IN THEM DAYS.  WE GOT OUR VEGETABLES OUTEN THE GARDEN IN SEASON AND DIDN'T HA
VE ALL THE HOTHOUSE VEGETABLES.  THERE WAS RACKS FITTED IN THE FIREPLACE TO PUT
POTS ON.  ONCE THERE WAS A BIG POT SETTIN' ON THE FIRE, JUST BOILIN' AWAY WITH A
 BIG ROAST IN IT.  AS THE WATER BOILED, THE MEAT TURNED OVER ANDOOVn,  O  )'  P
 TO THE TOP AND GOIN' DOWN AGAIN.  OLD SANDY, THE DOG, COME INTO THE KITCHEN.  H
E SET THERE AWHILE AND WATCHED THAT MEAT ROLL OVER A5D OVER IN THE POT, AND ALL
OF A SUDDEN LIKE HE GRABBED AT THAT MEAT AND PULLS IT OUTEN THE POT.  COURSE HE
COULDN'T EAT IT 'CAUSE IT WAS HOT AND THEY GOT THE MEAT BEFORE HE ET IT.
     THE KITCHEN WAS AWAY FROM THE BIG HOUSE, SO ,HE  ICTUALSWAS COOKED AND CAR
RIED UP TO THE HOUSE.  I'D CARRY IT UP MYSELF.  WE COULDN'T EAT ALL THE DIFFEREN
T KINS OF VICTUALS THE WHITE FOLKS ET AND ONE MORNIN' WHEN I WAS CARRYIN' THE BR
EAKFAST TO THE BIG HOUSE WE HAD WAFFLES THAT WAS A PRETTY GOLDEN BROWN AND
PIPIN' HOT.  THEY WAS A PICTURE TO LOOK AT AND I JUST COULDN'T KEEP FROM TAKIN'
ONE, AND THAT WAS THE HARDEST WAFFLE FOR ME TO EAT BEFORE I GOT TO THE BIG HOUSE
 I EVER SAW.  I JUST COULDN'T GET RID OF THAT WAFFLE 'CAUSE MY CONSCIENCE WHIPPE
D ME SO.
     ,H(Y TAUGHT ME TO DO EVERYING.  I'D USE BATTLIN' BLOCKS AND BATTLI)'2S IC
KS TO WASH THE CLOTHES.  WE ALL DID.  THE CLOTHES WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE WATER AND
 PUT ON THE BLOCK AND BEAT WITH A BATTLIN' STICK, WHICH WAS MADE LIKE A PADDLE.
 ON WA\H DAYS8YOU COULD8HEAR THEM BATTLI)' STICKSPOUNDIN' EVERY WHICH WAY.  WE
MADE OUR OWN SOAP, USED OLD MEAT AND GREASE, AND POURED WATER OVER WOOD ASHES WH
ICH WAS KEPT IN A RACK LIKE THING, AND THE WATER WOULD DRIP THROUGH THE ASHES.
THIS MADE STRONG LYE.  WE USED A LOT OF SUCH LYE, TOO, TO BOIL WITH.
     SOMETIMES THE SLAVES WOULD RUN AWAY.  THEIR MASTERS WAS MEAN TO THnM cHAT&C
AUSED THEM TO RUN AWAY.  SOMETIMES THEY WOULD LIVE IN CAVES.  THEY GOT ALONG ALL
 RIGHT--WHAT WITH OTHER PEOPLE SLIPPIN' THINGS INTO 'EM.  AND,  O;,3 H(_(DSTEAL
 HOGS, CHICKENS, A5D ANYTHING ELSE THEY COULD GET ,HErRHANDS ON.  SOME WHITE PE
OPLE WOULD HELP, TOO, FOR THERE WAS SOME WHITE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T BELIEVE IN SLAV
ERY.
     THEY WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO FIND THEM SLAVES THAT RUN  W Y, AND9 F ,((YWAS FO
UND THEY'D BE BEAT OR SOLD TO SOMEBODY ELSE.  MY GRANDMOTHER RUN AWAY FROM HER M
ASTER.  SHE STAYED IN THE WOODS AND SHE WASHED HER CLOTHES IN THE BRANCHES.  SHE
 USED SAND FOR SOAP.
     I STAYED WITH THE MITCHELLS TILL MISS HANN H DIE<.  I EVEN8HE PED  O-L YHE
R OUT.  I DIDN'T GO TO THE GRAVEYARD, THOUGH.  I DIDN'T HAVE A HOME AFTER SHE DI
ED AND I WANDERED FROM PLACE TO PLACE, STAYIN' WITH A WHITE FAMILY THIS TIME AND
 THEN A NIGGER FAMILY THE NEXT TIME.  I  OVED  O-JA K ON  O  ,YAND STAYED WITH
A MISTER FRANK DOWDY.  I DIDN'T STAY THERE LONG, THOUGH.  THEN I MOVED TO
WINDER, GEORGIA.  THEY CALLED IT JUG TAVERN IN THEM DAYS, 'CAUSE JUGS WAS MADE T
HERE.
     I MARRIED GREEN HINTON IN WINDER.  GOT ALONG WELL  FTER MARYI)'HIM.  HE F
ARMED FOR A LIVIN' AND MADE A GOOD LIVIN' FOR ME AND THE 8 CHILLENS, ALL BORN IN
 WINDER.  THE CHILLENS WAS GROWN NEARLY WHEN HE DIED AND6WAS ABLE  O8Hn P-MEWIT
H THE SMALLEST ONES.  I GOT ALONG ALL RIGHT AFTER HIS DEATH AND DIDN'T HAVE SUCH
 AHARD TIME RAISIN' THE CHILLENS.  THEN I MARRIED JIM BROWN AND MOVED TO ATLANT
A.  JIM FARMED AT FIRST FOR A LIVIN' AND THEN HE WORKED ON THE RAILROAD--THE SEA
BOARD.  HE HELPED TO GRADE THE FIRST RAILROAD TRACK FOR THAT LINE.  HE WAS A SAN
D DRYER.
      FT        R8HE MOVED8HERE8HE  OU!HT , ISHOME.  I'SE LIVED HERE TWENTY YEAR
S.  JI
M WAS KILLED ON THE RAILROAD.  HE WAS COMIN' IN THE RAILROAD YARD ONE DAY AND ST
EPPED OFF THE LITTLE ENGINE THEY USED FOR THE WORKERS RIGHT IN THE PATH OF THE L
 & N TRAIN.  HE WAS CUT UP A5D USHED TO PIECES. 8HE DIDN'T HAVE A2S NOF A HE
AD.  THEY USED A RAKE TO GET UP THE PIECES THEY DID GET.  A MAN BROUGHT A FEW PI
ECES OUT HERE IN A BUNDLE AND I WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THEM.
     I GOT A LITTLE MON(Y6FROM ,HE RAIOA<, BUT ,HE L >_ RGOT MOST OF IT.  HE
BROUGHT ME A FEW DOLLARS OUT AND TOLD ME NOT TO DISCUSS IT WITH ANYONE NOR TELL
HOW MUCH I GOT.  I TRIED TO GET SOME OF THE MEN THAT WORKED WITH HIM TO TELL ME
JUST HOW IT ALL HAPPENED, BUT THEY WOULDN'T TALK, AND IT WAS SCANDALOUS HOW THEM
 NIGGERS HELD THEIR PEACE AND WOULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING.  THE BOSS-MjN&Cj EOUT
LATER BUT HE DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN IT AT ALL, SO I GOT LITTLE OR NOTHING FOR
 HIS DEATH.  THE LAWYER GOT IT FOR HISSE +.
  X   XXX