JOE CLINTON                  0950-ARK/#040                                   026
         I'SE NOW PAST EIGHTY-SIX YEAR OLE AN' WAS BORNED IN PANOLA COUNTY, MISS
ISSIPPI 'BOUT THREE MILES FROM SARDIS. MY OLE MARS WAS MARK CHILDRESS, EN HE SUR
E OWNED ER HEAP OF PEOPLES, WOMENS AN' EMNS BOFE, EN JUS' GANGS OF CHILLUN. I WA
S REAL SMALL WHEN US LIVED IN PANOLA COUNTY; HOW-SOME-EVER I RICCOLECT IT WELL W
HEN US ALL LEF' DAR AND OLE MARS SOLD OUT HIS LAND AND TOOK US ALL TO DE DELTA W
HERE HE HAD BOUGHT A BIG PLANTATION 'BOUT TWO OR THREE MILES WIDE IN COAHOMA COU
NTY NOT FAR FROM FRIAR POINT. DE VERY PLACE DAT MY MARS BOUGHT AND DAT US MOVED
TO IS WHAT DEY CALL NOW, DE "CLOVER HILL PLANTATION". DE FUST YEAR DAT US LIVED
IN DE DELTA, US STAYED ON DE PLACEWHAT DEY CALLED DE "SWAN LAKE PLACE". DAT PLAC
E IS OVER DERE CLOSE TO JONESTOWN AND DE VERY PLACE DAT MISTER BILLY JONES AND H
IS SON JOHN BOUGHT, EN DATS ZACKLY HOW COME DAT TOWN GIT ITS NAME. IT WAS NAMED
FOR MISTER JOHN JONES.
         MY MARS, MARK CHILDRESS, HE NEVER WAS MARRIED. HE WAS A BACHELOR, EN I'
SE TELLIN' YOU DIS, BOSS, HE WAS A GOOD, FAIR MAN NO FAULT WAS TO BE FOUND WID H
IM. BUT DEM OVERSEERS DAT HE HAD, DEY WAS REAL MEAN. DEY WAS CRUEL, LEAST ONE OF
THEM WAS 'BOUT DE CRUELEST WHITE MAN DAT I IS EVER SEEN. DAT WAS HARVEY BROWN. M
ARS HAD A NEPHEW WHAT LIVED WITH HIM NAMED MARK SILLERS. HE WAS MARS' SISTER'S S
ON AND WAS NAMED FOR MY MARS. MISTER MARK SILLERS, HE HELPED WITH DE RUNNIN' OF
THE PLACE EN SICH TIMES DAT MARS 'WAY FROM HOME MISTER MARK, HE THE REAL BOSS DE
N.
ON. HE WENT OFF TO DE WAR. WHEN IT BREAK OUT DEY COME AND TAKE HIM OFF TO WORK I
N DE ARMY. HE LOST IN DAT WAR. HE DIDN'T COME BACK. NOBODY EVER KNOW WHAT HAPPEN
 TO HIM.
         MISTER HARVEY BROWN, THE OVERSEER, HE MEAN SURE 'NOUGH I TELL yOU, jND
DE ONLIEST THING THAT KEEP HIM FROM BEATIN' DE NIGGERS UP ALL DE TIME WOULD BE O
LD MARS ER MISTER MARK SILLERS. BOFE OF DEM WAS GOOD AND KIND MOST ALL DE TIME.
ONE TIME DAT I REMEMBERS, OLE MARS HE GONE BACK TO PANOLA COUNTY FOR SOMEPIN', E
N MISTER MARK SILLERS, HE ATTENDIN' DE CAMP MEETING. THAT WAS DE DAY DAT MISTER
MARVEY BROWN COME MIGHTY NIGH KILLIN' HENRY. I'LL TELL YOU HOW DAT WAS, BOSS. IT
WAS ON MONDAY MORNING THAT IT HAPPENED. DE FRIDAY BEFORE DAT MONDAY MORNING, ALL
OF DE HANDS HAD BEEN PICKIN' COTTON AND MISTER HARVEY BROWN DIDN'T THINK DAT HEN
RY HAD PICKED ENOUGH COTTON DAT DAY EN SO HE GIVE HENRY ER LASHIN' OUT IN DE FIE
LD. DAT NIGHT HENRY, HE GIT MAD AND BURN UP HIS SACK AND RUNNED OFF AND HID IN D
E CANEBRAKE 'LONG DE BAYOU ALL OF DE NEX' DAY. MISTER HARVEY, HE MISSED HENRY FR
OM DE FIELD EN SENT JEFF AN' RANDALL TO FIND HIM AND BRING HIM IN. DEY FOUND HEN
RY REAL SOON EN TELL HIM IFFEN HE DON'T COME ON BACK TO DE FIELD DAT MISTER HARV
EY GWINE TO SET DE HOUNDS ON HIM.. SO HENRY, HE COMED ON BACK DEN 'CAUSE DE NIGG
ERS WAS SKEERED OF DEM WILD BLOODHOUNDS WHAT THEY WOULD SET ON 'EM WHEN DEY TRY
TO RUN OFF.
         WHEN HENRY GIT BACK MISTER HARVEY SAY, "HENRY, WHERE YOUR SAlK? jND qOW
 COME YOU AIN'T PICKIN' COTTON STID RUNNIN' OFF LIKE DAT?" HENY SAY8HE  ONE BUR
NT HE SACK UP. WID DAT MISTER HARVEY LIT IN TO HIM LIKE A BEAR, LASHIN' HIM RIGH
T AND LEFT. HENRY BROKE EN RUN DEN TO DE COOK HOUSE WHERE HE MAMMY, "AUNT MARY",
 WAS, EN MISTER HARVEY RIGHT AFTER HIM WID A HEAVY STICK OF WOOD DAT HE PICKED U
P OFFEN DE YARD. MISTER HARVEY GOT HENRY  CORNERED IN DE HOUSE AND NEAR 'BOUT BE
AT DAT NIGGER TO DEATH. IN FACT, MISTER HARVEY, HE REALLY THINK TOO DAY HE DONE
KILT HENRY 'CAUSE HE CALLED "UNCLE NAT" EN SAID, "NAT, GO GIT SOME BOARDS EN MAK
E ER COFFIN FOR DIS NIGGER WHAT I DONE KILT."
         BUT HENRY WASN'T DAID THOUGH HE WAS BEAT UP TERRIBLE EN THEY PUT HIM IN
 DE SICK HOUSE. FOR DAYS EN DAYS "UNCEL WARNER" HAD TO 'TEND TO HIM, EN WASH HE
WOUNDS, EN PICK DE MAGGOTS OUTEN HIS SORES. DAT WAS JUS' DE WAY DAT MISTER HARVE
Y BROWN TREATED DE NIGGERS EVERY TIME HE GIT A CHANCE HE WOULD EVEN LASH EN BEAT
 DE WIMMENS.
         OLE MARS HAD A RIGHT GOOD SIZE HOUSE IN DAR 'MONGST DE QUARTERS WHERE D
EY KEPT ALL DE BABIES EN RIGHT YOUNG CHILLUN WHILST DEY MAMMIES WORKIN' IN DE FI
ELDS PICKIN' EN HOEIN' TIME. OLD "AUNT HANNAH", AN OLD GRANNY WOMAN, SHE 'TEND T
O ALL DEM CHILLUN. DE CHILLUN'S MAMMIES, DEY WOULD COME IN FROM DE FIELDS ABOUT
THREE TIMES ER DAY TO LET DE BABIES SUCK. DERE WAS ER YOUNG NIGGER WOMAN NAME JE
SSIE WHAT HAD A YOUNG BABY. ONE DAY WHEN JESSIE COME TO DE HOUSE TO LET DAT BABY
SUCK, MISTER HARVEY THINK SHE GONE LITTLE TOO LONG. HE GIVE HER A HARD LASHIN'.
         OLE MARS HAD A BIG COOK HOUSE ON DE PLANTATION RIGHT BACK IN BEHIND HE
OWN HOUSE EN TWIX HIS HOUSE EN DE NIGGER'S QUARTERS. DAT WAS WHERE ALL DE COOKIN
' DONE FOR ALL DE NIGGERS ON DE ENTIRE PLACE. AUNT MARY, WHE DE HEAD COOK FOR DE
 MARS EN ALL OF DE NIGGERS TOO. ALL OF DE FIELD8HANDS DURI)'  P  IME ET D(Y2 R
EAKFAST EN DEY DINNERS IN DE FIELD. I WAITED ON DE TABLE FOR MARS EN SORT ER FLU
NKYED 'ROUND DE HOUSE EN DE QUARTERS EN DE BARNS, EN TOO I WAS ONE OF DE YOUNG D
ARKIES WHAT TOTED DE BUCKETS OF GRUB TO DE FIELD HANDS.
         OLE MARS HAD A HOUSE ON DE PLACE TOO DAY WAS CALLED DE "SICK HOUSE". DA
T WAS WHERE DEM WAS PUT DAT WAS SICK. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE DEY WAS DOCTORED ON E
N CARED FOR TILL DEY EITHER GIT WELL ER DIE. IT WAS ER SORT ER HOSPITAL LIKE. "U
NCLE WARNER", HE HAD CHARGE OF DE SICK HOUSE, EN HE COULD SURE TELL IFFEN YOU SI
CK ER NOT, OR IFFEN YOU JUS' TRYIN' TO PLAY OFF FROM WORK.
         MY PAPPY, HE WAS NAMED BILL CLINTON EN MY MAMMY WAS NAMED MILDRED. DE R
EASON HOW COME I NOT NAMED CHILDRESS FOR MY MARS IS 'CAUSE MY PAPPY, HE NAMED CL
INTON WHEN MARS GIT HIM FROM DE CLINTONS UP IN TENNESSEE SOMEWHERE. MY MARS, HE
WAS A GOOD MAN JUS' LIKE I'M TELLIN' YOU. MARS HAD A YOUNG NIGGER WOMAN NAMED MA
LINDA WHAT GOT MARRIED TO CHARLIE VOLUNTINE DAT BELONGED TO MISTER NAT VOLUNTINE
 DAT HAD A PLACE 'BOUT SIX MILES FROM OUR PLACE. EN DEM DAYS IFFEN ONE DARKY MAR
RIED SOMEBODY OFFEN DE PLACE WHERE DEY LIVED EN WHAT BELONGED TO SOME OTHER MARS
, DEY DIDN'T GIT TO SEE ONE ANNUDDER VERY OFTEN, NOT MORE'N ONCE A MONTH ANYWAY.
 SO MALINDA, SHE GOT ATTER MARS TO BUY CHARLIE. SURE 'NOUGH HE DONE THAT VEY ,H
ING SO'S DEM DARKIES COULD LIVE TOGEDDER. DAT WAS GOOD IN OUR MARS.
         WHEN ANY MARRYIN' WAS DONE 'MONGST DE DARKIES ON DE PLACE IN DEM DAYS,
DEY WOULD FIRST HAB TO ASK DE MARS IFFEN DEY COULD MARRY, EN IFFEN HE WAY DAT DE
Y COULD GIT MARRIED DEN DEY WOULD GIT OLE "UNCLE PEYTON" TO MARRY 'EM. 'COURSE D
ERE WASN'T NO SICH THING AS ER LICENSE FOR NIGGERS TO MARRY EN I DON'T RICCOLECT
WHAT IT WAS DAT "UNCLE PEYTON" WOULD SAY WHEN HE DONE DE MARRYIN'. BUT I 'MEMBER
S WELL DAT "UNCLE PEYTON," HE DE ONE DAT DO ALL OF DE MARRYIN' 'MONST DE DARKIES
.
         MY MARS, HE DIDN'T GO TO DE WAR BUT HE SURE SENT ER LOT ER CORN EN8HE S
ENT ERBOUT THREE HUNDRED HEAD ER BIG, FAT HOGS ONE TIME DAT I 'MEMBERS. DEN TOO,
 HE SENT SOMEPIN LIKE TWENTY ER THIRTY NIGGERS TO DE CONFEDRITES IN GEORGIA. I '
MEMBERS IT WELL DE TIME DAT HE SENT DEM NIGGERS. THEY WAS ALL YOUNG UNS, 'BOUT G
ROWN, EN DEY WAS SKEERED TO DEATH TO BE LEAVIN' EN GOIN' TO DE WAR. DEY DIDN'T K
NOW EN COSE BUT WHAT DEY GWINE MAKE 'EM FIGHT. BUT MARS TOLE 'EM DAT DEY JUS' GW
INE TO WORK DIGGIN' TRENCHES EN SICH; BUT DEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO NOHOW EN JEFF AN
' RANDALL, THEY RUNNED OFF EN COME BACK HOME ALL DE WAY FROM GEORGIA EN MARS LET
 'EM STAY.
         BOSS, YOU HAS HEERED ME TELLIN' DAT MY MARS WAS ER GOOD , KINE MAN EN D
AT HIS OVERSEER, MISTER HARVEY BROWN, WAS TERRIBLE CRUEL, EN MEAN, EN WOULD BEAT
 DE NIGGETS UP EVERY CHANCE HE GIT, EN YOU ASK ME HOW COME IT WAS DAT DE MARS WO
ULD HAVE SICH A MEAN MAN ER WORKING FOR HIM. NOW I'SE GWINE TO TELL YOU DE REASO
N. YOU KNOW DE TRUTH IS DE LIGHT, BOSS, AN' DIS IS DE TRUTH WHAT I'SE GWINE TO S
AY. MARS, HE IN LOVE WITH MISTER HARVEY BROWN'S WIFE, MISS MARY, AND MISS MARY'S
YOUNG DAUGHTER, SHE WAS MARS' CHILE. YAS SUH, SHE WAS DAT. SHE WASN'T NO KIN ER
TALL TO MISTER HARVEY BROWN. HER NAME WAS MISS MARKIS, DATS WHAT IT WAS. MARS HA
D DONE WILLED DAT CHILE ER BIG PART OF HIS PROPERTY AND A WHOLE GANG OF NIGGERS.
 HE WAS GWINE GIVE HER TOLLIVER, BECKEY, AUNT MARY, AUSTIN, AN' SAVANNAH EN ER H
EAP MORE 'SIDES DAT. BUT DE WAR, IT COME ON EN BROKE MARS UP, EN ALL DE DARKIES
SOT FREE, EN ATTER DAT, SO I HEERED MISTER HARVEY BROWN EN MISS MARY, AND DE YOU
NG LADY MISS MARKIS, DEY MOVED UP NORTH SOME PLACE EN I AIN'T NEVER HEERED NO MO
RE FROM DEM.
         MISTER CLARKE AND MADAME CLARKE WHAT DE TOWN OF CLARKSDALE IS NAMED FOR
, DEY LIVED NOT FAR FROM OUT PLA CE. I KNOWED DEM WELL. ALBERT, ONE OF MARS' DAR
KIES, MARRIED CINDY, ONE OF MISTER CLARKE'S WOMEN. GENERAL FORREST, I KNOW YOU I
S HEERED OF HIM. I SPECK HE 'BOUT DE BES' GENERAL IN DE WAR.HE SURE WAS A FINE L
OOKING MAN EN HE WORE A BEARD ON HE FACE. DE GENERAL, HE HAD A BIG PLANTATION DO
WN DERE IN COAHOMA COUNTY WHERE HE WOULD COME EVER SO OFFEN. A LOT OF TIMES HE W
OULD COME TO OUR PLACE EN TAKE DINNER WID OLE MARS, EN I WOULD BE ER WAITIN' ON
DE TABLE ER TAKIN' DEM DE TODDIES ON DE FRONT GALLERY WHERE DEY TALKIN' 'BOUT DE
Y BIZNESS.
         BOSS, YOU AXED ME IF DEY WAS ANY SICH THING IN SLAVERY TIMES AS DE WHIT
E MEN MOLESTIN' OF DE DARKY WIMMEN. DERE WAS A HEAP OF DAT WENT ON ALL DE TIME A
' 'COURSE DE WIMMENS, DEY COULDN'T HELP DEYSELVES AND JSU' HAD TO PUT UP WID IT.
 DE TROUBLE WASN'T FROM DE MARS OF DE WIMMENS I'SE EVER KNOWED OF BUT FROM DE OV
ERSEERS EN DE OUTSIDE WHITE FOLKS. OF COURSE ALL DAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN GOIN' ON
LIKE IT DID WITHOUT DE MARS KNOWIN' IT. DEY JUS' BOUND TO KNOW DAT IT WENT ON, B
UT I'SE NEVER HEERED 'BOUT 'EM DOIN' NOTHIN' TO STOP IT. IT JUS' WAS DAT WAY, EN
DEY 'LOWED IT WITHOUT TRYIN' TO STOP ALL SICH STUFF AS DAT. YOU KNOW DAT NIGGERS
IS BAD 'BOUT TALKIN' 'MONGST DEMSELVES 'BOUT SICH EN SICH ER GOIN' ON, AND SOME
OF MARS' DARKIES, DEY SAY DAT SAM AND DICK, WHAT WAS TWO REAL LIGHT COLORED BOYS
, DAT US HAD WAS MARS' CHILLUN. DAT WAS ALL TALK. I NEBBER DID BELIEVE IT 'CAUSE
 DEY NEBBER EVEN LOOKED LIKE MARS EN HE NEBBER CARED NO NO MORE FOR DEM DAN ANY
OF THE REST OF DE HANDS.
  X   XXX
STP
A WAS BECKY BRIM AND PA, HE NAME LOUIS BRIM. SHE COME FROM OLD VIRGINNY. DEY WO