W L BOST MY MASSA'S NAME WAS JONAS BOST. HE HAD A HOTEL IN NEWTON, NORTH CAROLINA. MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER BOTH BELONGED TO THE BOST FAMILY. MY OLE MASSA HAD T WO LARGE PLANTATIONS, ONE ABOUT THREE MILES FROM NEWTON AND ANOTHER FOUR MILES A WAY. IT TOOK A LOT OF NIGGERS TO KEEP WORK AGOIN' ON THEM BOTH. THE WOMENFOLKS HAD TO WORK IN THE HOTEL AND IN THE BIG HOUSE IN TOWN. OLE MISSUS SHE WAS A GO OD WOMAN. SHE NEVER ALLOWED THE MASSA TO BUY OR SELL ANY SLAVES. THERE NEVER W AS AN OVERSEER ON THE WHOLE PLANTATION. THE OLDEST COLORED MAN ALWAYS LOOKED AF TER THE NIGGERS. WE NIGGERS LIVED BETTER THAN THE NIGGERS ON THE OTHER PLANTATI ONS. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY, ABOUT TEN YEARS, THE SPECULATORS COME T HROUGH NEWTON WITH DROVES OF SLAVES. THEY ALWAYS STAY AT OUR PLACE. THE POOR C RITTERS NEARLY FROZE TO DEATH. THEY ALWAYS COME 'LONG ON T8E LAST OF DECEMBER S O THAT THE NIGGERS WOULD BE READY FOR SALE ON THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY. MANY TH E TIME I SEE FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM CHAINED TOGETHER. THEY NEVER HAD ENOUGH CLOT HES ON TO KEEP A CAT WARM. THE WOMEN NEVER WORE ANYTHING BUT A THIN DRESS AND A PETTICOAT AND ONE UNDERWEAR. I'VE SEEN THE ICE BALLS HANGIN' ON TO THE BOTTOM OF THEIR DRESSES AS THEY RAN ALONG, JUST LIKE SHEEP IN A PASTURE BEFORE THEY ARE \HERE<. ,H(Y NEVER WORE ANY SHOES. JUST RUN A3ONG ON THE GROUND, ALL SPEWED UP WITH ICE. WHEN THEY GET COLD, THEY MAKE 'EM RUN TILL THEY ARE WARM AGAIN. THE SPECULATORS STAYED IN THE HOTEL AND PUT THE NIGGERS IN THE QUARTERS JUS T LIKE DROVES OF HOGS. ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT I COULD HEAR THEM MOURNIN' AND PRA YIN'. I DIDN'T KNOW THE LORD WOULD LET PEOPLE LIVE WHO WERE SO CRUEL. THE GATE S WERE ALWAYS LOCKED AND THEY WAS A GUARD ON THE OUTSIDE TO SHOOT ANYONE WHO TRI ED TO RUN AWAY. THEM SLAVES LOOK JUST LIKE DROVES OF TURKEY RUNNIN' ALONG IN F RONT OF THEM HORSES. I REMEMBER WHEN THEY PUT 'EM ON THE BLOCK TO SELL 'EM. THE ONES 'TWEEN EIG HTEEN AND THIRTY ALWAYS BRING THE MOST MONEY. THE AUCTIONEER HE STAND OFF AT A DISTANCE AND CRY 'EM OFF AS THEY STAND ON THE BLOCK. I CAN HEAR HIS VOICE AS L ONG AS I LIVE. IF THE ONE THEY GOING TO SELL WAS A YOUNG NEGRO MAN THIS IS WHAT HE SAYS: NOW GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS HERE IS A BIG BLACK BUCK NEGRO. HE'S STOUT AS A MULE. GOOD FOR ANY KIND O' WORK AND HE NEVER GIVES ANY TROUBLE. HOW MUCH AM I OFFERED FOR HIM? AND THE THE SALE WOULD COMMENCE AND THE NIGGER WOULD BE SOL D TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. IF THEY PUT UP A YOUNG NIGGER WOMAN, THE AUCTIONEER CRY OUT: HERE'S A YOUN G NIGGER WENCH, HOW MUCH AM I OFFERED FOR HER? THE POOR THING STAND ON THE BLOC K A SHIVERIN' AND A SHAKIN' NEARLY FROZE TO DEATH. THE POOR MOTHERS BEG THE SPE CULATORS TO SELL 'EM WITH THEIR HUSBANDS, BUT THE SPECULATOR ONLY TAKE WHAT HE W ANT. SO MAYBE THE POOR THING NEVER SEE HER HUSBAND AGAIN. OLD MASSA ALWAYS SEE THAT WE GET PLENTY TO EAT. O' COURSE IT WAS NO FANCY RATIONS. JUST CORN BREAD, MILK, FAT MEAT, AND 'LASSES. BUT THE LORD KNOWS THAT WAS LOTS MORE THAN OTHER POOR NIGGERS GOT. SOME OF THEM HAD SUCH BAD MASTERS. US POOR NIGGERS NEVER ALLOWED TO LEARN ANYTHING. ALL THE READIN' THEY EVER HEAR WAS WHEN THEY WAS CARRIED THROUGH THE BIG BIBLE. THE MASSA SAY THAT KEEP THE SLAVES IN THEY PLACES. THEY WAS ONE NEGGER BOY IN NEWTON WHO WAS TERRIBLE S MART. HE LEARN TO READ AND WRITE. HE TAKE OTHER COLORED CHILDREN OUT IN THE FI ELDS AND TEACH 'EM ABOUT THE BIBLE, BUT THEY FORGET IT BEFORE THE NEXT SUNDAY. THEN THE PATTERROLLERS THEY KEEP CLOSE WATCH ON THE POOR NIGGERS SO THEY HA VE NO CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING OR GO ANYWHERE. THEY JUST LIKE POLICEMEN, ONLY WORS ER, 'CAUSE THEY NEVER LET THE NIGGERS GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT A PASS FROM HIS MASTER. IF YOU WASN'T IN YOUR PROPER PLACE WHEN THE PATTERROLLERS COME THEY LAS H YOU TILL YOU WAS BLACK AND BLUE. THE WOMEN GOT FIFTEEN LASHES AND THE MEN THI RTY. THAT IS FOR JUST BEIN' OUT WITHOUT A PASS. IF THE NIGGER DONE ANYTHING WO RSE HE WAS TAKEN TO THE JAIL AND PUT IN THE WHIPPIN' POST. THEY WAS TWO HOLES C UT FOR THE ARMS STRETCH UP IN THE AIR AND A BLOCK TO PUT YOUR FEET IN, THEN THEY WHIP YOU WITH COWHIDE WHIP. AND THE CLOTHES SURE NEVER GET ANY OF THEM LICKS. I REMEMBER HOW THEY KILL ONE NIGGER WHIPPIN' HIM WITH THE BULLWHIP. MANY THE POOR NIGGER NEARLY KILLED WITH THE BULLWHIP. BUT THIS ONE DIE. HE WAS A ST UBBORN NEGRO AND DIDN'T DO AS MUCH WORK AS HIS MASSA THOUGHT HE OUGHT TO. HE BE EN LASHED LOT BEFORE. SO THEY TAKE HIM TO THE WHIPPIN' POST, AND THEN THEY STRI P HIS CLOTHES OFF AND THEN THE MAN STAND OFF AND CUT HIM WITH THE WHIP. HIS BAC K WAS ALL CUT TO PIECES. THE CUTS ABOUT HALF INCH APART. THEN AFTER THEY WHIP HIM THEY TIE HIM DOWN AND PUT SALT ON HIM. THEN AFTER HE LIE IN THE SUN AWHILE THEY WHIP HIM AGAIN. BUT WHEN THEY FINISH WITH HE, HE WAS DEAD. PLENTY OF THE COLORED WOMEN HAVE CHILDREN BY THE WHITE MEN. SHE KNOW BETTE R THAN TO NOT DO WHAT HE SAY. DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF THAT UNTIL THE MEN FROM SOUTH CAROLINA COME UP HERE AND SETTLE AND BRING SLAVES. THEN THEY TAKE THEM VERY SA ME CHILDREN WHAT HAVE THEY OWN BLOOD AND MAKE SLAVES OUT OF THEM. IF THE MISSUS FIND OUT SHE RAISE REVOLUTION. BUT SHE HARDLY FIND OUT. THE WHITE MEN-NOT GOI NG TO TELL AND THE NIGGER WOMEN WERE ALWAYS AFRAID TO. SO THEY JUST GO ON HOPIN' THAT THINGS WON'T BE THAT WAY ALWAYS. I REMEMBER HOW THE DRIVER, HE WAS THE MAN WHO DID MOST OF THE WHIPPIN', USE D TO WHIP SOME OF THE NIGGERS. HE WOULD TIE THEIR HANDS TOGETHER AND THEN PUT T HEIR HANDS DOWN OVER THEIR KNEES, THEN TAKE A STICK AND STICK IT 'TWEEN THEY HAN DS AND KNEES. THEN HE TAKE HOLD OF THEM AND BEAT 'EM FIRST ON ONE SIDE, THEN ON THE OTHER.. US NIGGERS NEVER HAVE CHANCE TO GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH. THE WHITE FOLKS FEARED FOR NIGGERS TO GET ANY RELIGION AND EDUCATION, BUT I RECKON SOMETHI N' INSIDE JUST TOLD US ABOUT GOD AND THAT THERE WAS A BETTER PLACE HEREAFTER. W E WOULD SNEAK OFF AND HAVE PRAYER MEETIN'. SOMETIMES THE PATTERROLLERS CATCH US AND BEAT US GOOD BUT THAT DIDN'T KEEP US FROM TRYIN'. I REMEMBER ONE OLD SONG WE USED TO WING WHEN WE MEET DOWN IN THE WOODS BACK OF THE BARN. MY MOTHER SHE S ING AND PRAY TO THE LORD TO DELIVER US OUT O' SLAVERY. SHE ALWAYS SAY SHE THANK FUL SHE WAS NEVER SOLD FROM HER CHILDREN, AND THAT OUR MASSA NOT SO MEAN AS SOME OF THE OTHERS. BUT THE OLD SONG IT WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS: OH, MOTHER LETS GO DOWN, LETS GO DOWN, LETS GO DOWN, LETS GO mOw). -OH,-MOT HER LETS GO DOWN, DOWN IN THE VALLEY TO PRAY. AS I WENT DOWN IN THE VALLEY TO P RAY, STUDYIN' ABOUT THAT GOOD OLE WAY, WHO SHALL WEAR THAT STARRY CROWN? GOOD L ORD, SHOW ME THE WAY. THEN THE OTHER PART WAS JUST LIKE THAT EXCEPT IT SAID FATHER INSTEAD OF MOT HER, AND THEN SISTER AND THEN BROTHER. THEN THEY SING SOMETIME: WE CAMP AWHILE IN THE WILDERNESS, IN THE WILDERNESS, IN THE WILDERNESS. WE CAMP AWHILE IN THE WILDERNESX, WHERE THE LORD MAKES ME HAPPY, AND THEN I'M AGOI N' HOME. I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THE WAR. THERE WAS NO FIGHTIN' DONE IN NEWTON. JUST A SKIRMISH OR TWO. MOST OF THE PEOPLE GET EVERYTHING JUST READY TO RU N WHEN THE YANKEE SOLDIERS COME THROUGH THE TOWN. THIS WAS TOWARD THE LAST OF T HE WAR. 'COUARSE THE NIGGERS KNEW WHAT ALL THE FIGHTIN' WAS ABOUT BUT THEY DIDN 'T DARE SAY ANYTHING. THE MAN WHO OWNED THE SLAVES WAS TOO MAD AS IT WAS, AND I F THE NIGGERS SAID ANYTHING THEY GET SHOT RIGHT THEN AND THERE. THE SOLDIERS TE LL US AFTER THE WAR THAT WE GET FOOD, CLOTHES, AND WAGES FROM OUR MASSAS ELSE WE LEAV(. BUT ,H(Y WAS VERY FEW THAT EVER GOT ANYTHING. OUR OLE MASSA SAY HE- OT GWINE PAY US ANYTHING. 'COUARSE HIS MONEY WAS NO GOOD, BUT8HE6WOULD)'T7P Y US IF IT HAD BEEN. THEN THE KU KLUX KLAN CAME ALONG. THEY WERE TERRIBLE DANGEROUS. THEY WEAR LONG GOWNS, TOUCH THE GROUND. THEY RIDE HORSES THROUGH THE TOWN AT NIGHT AND I F THEY FIND A NEGRO THAT TRIES TO GET NERVY OR HAVE A LITTLE BIT FOR HIMSELF, TH EY LASH HIM NEARLY TO DEATH AND GAG HIM AND LEAVE HIM TO DO TH BEST HE CAN. SOM ETIMES THEY PUT STICKS IN THE TOP OF THE TALL THING THEY WEAR AND THEN PUT AN E XTRA HEAD UP THERE WITH SCARY EYES AND GREAT BIG MOUTH. THEY THEY STICK IT CLEA R UP IN THE AIR TO SCARE THE POOR NEGROES TO DEATH. THEY HAD ANOTHER THING THEY CALL THE DONKEY DEVIL THAT WAS JUST AS BAD. TH EY TAKE THE SKIN OF A DONKEY AND GET INSIDE OF IT AND RUN AFTER THE POOR NEGROES. THEM WAS BAD TIMES, THEM WAS BAD TIMES. I KNOW FOLKS THINK THE BOOKS TELL THE TRUTH BUT THEY SURE DON'T. US POOR NIGGERS HAD TO TAKE IT ALL. THEN AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER WE WAS AFTAID TO MOVE. JUST LIKE TARPINS OR TU RTLES AFTER 'MANCIPATION. JUST STICK OUR HEADS OUT TO SEE HOW THE LAND LAY. MY MAMMY STAY WITH MARSE JONAH FOR ABOUT A YEAR AFTnR oREEmOM, THnNOLE SOLOMAN HA LL MADE HER AN OFFER. OLE MAN HALL WAS A GOOD MAN IF THERE EVER WAS ONE. HE F REED ALL OF HIS SLAVES ABOUT TWO YEARS BEFORE 'MANCIPATION AND GAVE EACH OF THEM SO MUCH MONEY WHEN HE DIED; THAT IS, HE PUT THAT IN HIS WrLL. BBUT6fHnNHHE&DIE HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS NEVER GIVE ANYTHING TO THE POOR NEGROES.. MY MOTHER WENT TO LIVE ON THE PLACE BELONGIN' TO THE NEPHEW OF SOLOMON HALL. ALL OF HER SIX CHILDREN WENT WITH HER. MOTHER SHE COOK FOR THE WHITE FOL KS AND THE CHILDREN MAKE CROP. WHEN THE FIRST YEAR WAS UP US CHILDREN GOT HE FI RST MONEY WE HAD IN OUR LIVES. MY MOTHER CERTAINLY WAS HAPPY. WE LIVE ON THIS PLACE FOR OVER FOUR YEARS. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 20 YEAR OLD I MARRIED A GIRL FROM WEST VIRGINIA, BUT SHE DIDN'T LIVE BUT JUST ABOUT A YEAR. I STAYED DOWN THERE FOR A YEAR OR SO AND THEN I MET MAMIE. WE CjME HnRE&jnDB O H OF US WENT TO WORK. WE WORK AT THE SAME PLACE. WE kOUGHT THIS LITTLE PIECE OF GROUND ABOUT 42 YEARS AGO. WE GAeEONE HUND RED TWENTY FIVE FOLLARS FOR IT. WE HAD TO BUY THE LUMBER TO BUILD THE HOUSE A L ITTLE AT A TIME BUT FINALLY WE GOT THE HOUSE DONE. IT'S BEEN A GOOD HOME FOR US AND THE CHILDREN. WE HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AND ONE ADOPTED SON. BOTH OF THE GrR S jrEG OOD O K S. ONE OF THEM LIVES IN NEW JERSEY AND COOKS IN A BIG HOTEL. SHE AND HER HUSBA ND COME TO SEE US ABOUT ONCE A YEAR. BUT THE ADOPTED BOY, HE WAS PART WHITE. W E TOOK HIM WHEN HE WAS SMALL AND DID THE BEST WE COULD BY HIM. HE NEVER DID LIK E TO ASSOCIATE WITH COLORED PEOPLE. I REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN HE WAS A SMALL CHI LD I TOOK HIM TO TOWN AND THE CONDUCTOR MADE ME PUT HIM IN THE FRONT OF THE STRE ETCAR 'CAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS JUST CARING FOR HIM AND THAT HE WAS A WHITE BOY. WELL, WE SENT HIM TO SCHOOL UNTIL HE FINISHED. THEN HE JOINED THE NAVY. I AIN' T SEEN HIM IN SEVERAL YEARS. THE LAST LETTER I GOT FROM HIM HE SAY HE AIN'T SPO KE TO A COLORED GIRL SINCE HE HAS BEEN THERE. THIS MADE ME SO MAD I TOOK HIS IN SURANCE POLICY AND CASHED IT. I DIDN'T WANT NOTHIN' TO DO WITH HIM, IF HE DENY HIS OWN COLOR. X XXX