Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States, From Interviews with Former Slaves Virginia Narratives

by Work Projects Administration

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2004

Reviews

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of a series of interviews the United States government (under the WPA) conducted with former slaves in Virginia during The Great Depression. It’s interesting to read the former slaves’ recollections and events they experienced or overhead during the slave years, and their general thoughts on the current world and society. Many, but not all, of the interviews were transcribed in dialect, so reading them is all the more special. The contemporary black and white photographs add greatly to this work of valuable history and research.

📙Published in 1941.

🟢The e-book version can be found at Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.

[Jessica Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolute history....

....and like all history needs to be put into context so if you don't know what the Works Projects Administration, find out first! THEN read. And respect the effort to create such a survey

[Darcy Leerhoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compilation of interviews done by the government with ex-slaves from 1937-38. I had great expectations in buying and reading this series of books. I don't feel as though they are what they could have been. With approx. 73 years having passed since the end of slavery I would have thought that something like this would have been done earlier. I know that this project was part of the governments ideas to stimulate the economy with jobs. It's sad to think that this is what brought on the idea. The majority of the ex-slaves interviewed were small children while in slavery. There is such a lack of any wrong-doing or abuse that I believe that the answers were white-washed or the interviewees were afraid to give accurate accounts. Can you believe that most had no issues with being a slave and were happy to remain on their ex-masters plantations and/or go about their new lives with no struggles? Disappointing read, I don't believe it to be accurate.

[Vaishali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall chilling. However, I was pleasantly surprised to read an unexpected parable on leadership, depicted by ex-slave Marriah Hines. Her depiction of her master James Pressman - a singularly kind, respectful plantation-owner whose slaves worked out of free will - is a must-read.

[pegi johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning

I enjoyed reading this book because it tells things the history books don't. I'm just sorry that I had to wait until I was in my late forties to learn about these fascinating people.

[Kelly Libert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compiled in the late 1930's, the narratives are a powerful and fascinating history. My parents were born in 1937 when many of the narratives were recorded. It brings home to me how close we really are to reaching out and touching history.

[Sean McGowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great first hand accounts.

[Mary D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Mixed feelings about the use of dialect. Definitely made it harder to read, and I'm not sure how much it added to the stories the former slaves had to tell.

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty self- explanatory.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of these stories are from men who escaped their plantations and ran to the Union Army, where they fought for the entire war. Interesting. 60 pages in this Virginia collection.

[Paul Griesbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Works Projects Administration (WPA) provided admirable effort and insight by interviewing thousands of former slaves. Reading (and listening, there are recordings as well) to these accounts are helpful. The accounts are also flawed because they also illustrate the challenges provided by oral history. People sometimes provide the story that they believe people want to here depending on who they are speaking with, so this effort struggles in the same way. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to study and learn from these narratives for in a very true sense they provide the a best clue into the world of an American calamity.

[dale evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

A place and time not forgotten but reading this was like being there with the former people who lived in those days, highly recommened.