JOHN BROWN
     MOST OF THE FOLKS HAVE THEMSELVES A REGULAR BIRTHDAY BUT THIS OLD COLORED-M
AN JUST PICK OUT ANY OF THE DAYS DURING THE YEAR--ONE DAY JUST ABOUT AS GOOD AS
ANOTHER.  I BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN I GOT HERE.  THAT'S TH
E TRUTH.  NEAREST I FIGURES IT THE YEAR WAS 1850--THE MONTH DON'T MAKE NO DIFFER
ENCE NOHOW.  BUT I KNOW THE BORNING WAS DOWN IN TALLEDEGA COUNTY, ALABAMA, NEAR
THE COUNTY SEAT TOWN.  MISS ABBY WAS WITH MY MAMMY THAT DAY.  WHE WAS THE WIFE O
F MASTER JOHN BROWN.  SHE WAS WITH A3L THE SLAVE WOMEN EVERY TIME A BABY WAS BOR
N.  OR, WHEN A PLAGUE OF MISERY HIT THE FOLKS SHE KNEW WHAT TO DO AND WHAT KIND
OF MEDICINE TO CHASE OFF THE ACHES A5D PAINS.  GOD BLESS HER]  SHE SURE LOVED US
 NEGROE\.
     MOST OF THE TIME THERE WAS MORE'N THREE HUNDRED SLAVES ON ,HE7PLjNTAT O).
 ,HE6OLDEST6ONES COME RIGHT FROM AFRIC .  *Y7RAND O,HER6WASOONEOF THEM.  A SAV
AGE IN AFRICA--A SLAVE IN AMERICA.  MAMMY TOLD IT TO ME.  OVER THERE ALL THE NAT
IVES DRESSED NAKED A5D LIVED ON FRUITS AND NUTS.  NEVER SEE MANY WHITE MENS.  ON
E DAY A BIG SHIP STOPPED OFF THE SHORE A5D THE NATIVES HID IN THE BRUSH ALONG TH
E BEACH.  GRANDMOTHER WAS THERE.  THE SHIP MEN SENT A LITTLE BOAT TO THE SHORE A
ND SCATTERED BRIGHT THINGS AND TRINKETS ON THE BEACH.  THE NATIVES WERE CURIOUS.
  GRANDMOTHER  SAID EVERYBODY MADE A RUSH FOR THEM THINGS AS SOON AS THE BOAT LE
FT.  THE TRINKETS WAS FEWER THAN THE PEOPLES.  THE NATIVES WAS FEELING LESS SCAR
ED, AND THE NEXT DAY SOME OF THEM WALKED UP THE GANGPLANK TO GET THINGS OFF THE
PLANK  AND OFF THE DECK.  THE DECK WAS COVERED WITH THINGS LIKE THEY'D FOUND ON
THE BEACH.  TWO THREE HUNDRED NATIVES ON THE S8IP WHEN THEY FEEL IT MOVE.  THEY
RUSH TO THE SIDE BUT THE PLANK WAS GONE.  JUST DROPPED IN THE WATER WHEN THE SHI
P MOVED AWAY.
     FOLKS ON THE BEACH STARTED TO CRYING AND SHOUTING.  THE-ONESONT HE BOAT WA
S WILD WITH FEAR.  GRANDMOTHER WAS ONE OF THEM WHO GOT FOOLED, AND SHE SAY THE L
AST THING SHE SEEN OF THAT PLACE WAS THE NATIVES RUNNN9NG UP AND DOWN THE BEACH
WAVING THEIR ARMS AND SHOUTING LIKE THEY WAS MAD.  THE BOAT MEN COME UP FROM BEL
OW WHERE THEY HAD BEEN HIDING A5D DRIVE THE SLAVES  DOWN IN THE BOTTOM AND KEEP
THEM QUIET WITH THE WHIPS A5D CLUBS.  THE SLAVES WAS LANDED AT CHARLESTON.  THE
TOWN FOLKS WAS MIGHTY MAD 'CAUSE THE BLACKS WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE STREETS WITHO
UT ANY CLOTHES, AND  DROVE OFF THE BOAT MEN AFTER THE SLAVES WAS SOLD ONTHE MARK
ET.  MOST OF THAT LOAD WAS SOLD TO THE BROWN PLANTATION IN ALABAMA.  GRANDMOTHER
 WAS-ONE-OF THE BuNCH.
     THE BROWNS TAUGHT THEM TO wORK.  MADE lLOTH S oOR THn . FRA LONG TIME TH
E NATIVES DIDN'T LIKE THE CLOTHES AND TRY TO SHAKE THEM OFF.  THERE WAS THREE BR
OWN BOYS--JOHN, CHARLEY AND HENRY.  NEPHEWS OF OLD LADY HYATT WHO WAS THE REAL O
WNER OF THE PLANTATION, BUT THE BOYS RUN THEPLACE.    THE OLD LADY, SHE LIVED IN
THE TOWN.  COME OUT IN THE SPRING AND FALL TO SEE HOW THE PLANTATION IS DOING.
SHE WAS A FINE WOMAN.  THE BROWN BOYS AND THEIR WIVES WAS JUST AS GOOD.  WOULDN'
T LET NOBODY MISTREAT THE SLAVES.  WHIPPINGS WAS FEW AND NOBODY GOT THE WHIP UNL
ESS HE NEED IT BAD.  THEY TEACH THE YOUNG ONES HOW TO READ AND WRITE; SAY IT WAS
 GOOD FOR THE NEGROES TO KNOW ABOUT SUCH THINGS.
     SUNDAY WAS A GREAT DAY AROUND THE PLANTATION.  THE FInLDS f SFORGOTTEN, TH
E LIGHT CHORES WAS HURRIED THROUGH, AND EVERYBODY GOT READY FOR THE CHURCH MEETI
NG.  IT WAS OUT OF DOORS, IN THE YARD FRONTING THE BIG LOT WHERE THE BROWNS ALL
LIVED.  MASTER JOHN'S WIFE WOULD START THE MEETING WITH A PRAYER A5D THEN WOULD
COME THE SINGING--THE OLD TIMEY SONGS.  BUT THE WHITE FOLKS ON THE NEXT PLANTATI
ON WOULD LICK THEIR SLAVES FOR TRYING TO DO LIKE WE DID.  NO PRAYING THERE, AND
NO SINGING.
     THE MASTER GAVE OUT THE WEEK'S SUPPLY ON SATURDAY.  PLENTY OF Hj S,LEAN BA
CON, FLOUR CORNMEAL, COFFEE AND MORE'N ENOUGH FOR THE WEEK.  NOBODY GO HUNGRY ON
THAT PLACE]  DURING THE GROWING SEASON ALL THE SLAVES HAVE A GARDEN SPOT ALL THE
IR OWN.  THREE THOUSAND ACRES ON THAT PLACE--PLENTY OF ROOM FOR GARDENS AND FIEL
D CROPS.
     EVEN DURING THE WAR FOODS WAS-PLnNTIFuL. ONE TIME THE YANKEE SOLDIERS VISI
TED THE PLACE.  THE WHITE FOLKS GONE AND I TALKS WITH THEM.  ASK ME LOTS OF QUES
TIONS--GOT A5Y MEATS--GOT ANY POTATOES--GOT ANY THIS--SOME OF THAT--BUT I JUST S
HAKE MY HEAD AND THEY DON'T LOOK AROUND.  THE OLD COOK FIXES THEM UP THOUGH.  SH
E FRY ALL THE EGGS ON THE PLACE, SKILLET THE HAM AND PAN THE BISCUITS]  THEM SOL
DIERS FILL UP A5D LEAVE THE HOUSE FRIENDLY AS ANYBODY I EVER SEE.
     THE BROWNS WASN'T BOTHERED WITH THE KU KLUX KLAN EITHER.  THENEGROES MINDE
D THEIR OWN BUSINESS JUST LIKE BEFORE THEY WAS FREE.  I STAYED ON THE PLANTATION
 TILL THE LAST BROWN DIE.  THEN I COME TO OKLAHOMA AND WORKS ON THE-RArOAD crL
L I WAS TOO OLD TO HUSTLE THE GRIPS AND PACKAGES.
  X   XXX