Status Updates From Born in Slavery: Slave Nar...

There are 2000 some of these narratives. I am glad they are online. I can come back to them periodically and read.

Stopped reading a narrative recorded by interviewer Henry Grant because I question his unbiased recording of what the interviewee was stating. Prior to speaking with the interviewee Grant described the man & called him a "darkie". The interview sounds proslavery & I believe more Grant than ex-slave. Sad! Liberties were definitely taken!

W.L. Bost tells an interesting truthful tale of what he witnessed during slavery times but the most interesting is hint into his own family life. He mentions an adopted interracial son who grows to pass and deny his race. And how he seems to disown him for this.

W.L. Bost tells an interesting truthful tale of what he witnessed during slavery times but the most interesting is hint into his own family life. He mentions an adopted interracial son who grows to pass and deny his race. And how he seems to disown him for this.

Rev Frank T Boone: interesting account of Free Negros & Black OWNED slaves. (Posted a quote)

Wow! Lewis Bonner said before his father could get whipped one more time he killed 18 white men & ran away. He came back 3yrs later & killed 7 more before they killed him. He must have mentally snapped from all that mistreatment. Smh!

Elvira Boles unwanted daughter of a master. Sold to a master who made her mother.. To a child of a master. To avoid freeing his slaves he went on the lam for a yr running from the Yankees. To Texas. Where they were freed anyway.

I wonder if some of these old folks were not just old and delusional or affected by the depression of the time. A man just talked about slavery not being so bad. He really went on. Then ended the interview with how he preserved meat in the woods when he was a runaway. Here is perspective on these interviews. What is truth and what is the minds tricks? We remember what we want to don't we?

Old tattle tail told on the uprising. Those slaves just wanted to stop being mistreated and be free. I don't know how that man could live with himself. Well, it said he died shortly after the interview. Maybe he needed to confess.

Julia Banks. So interesting. They had a ranch after slavery of their own!

Sarah Benjamin's narratives if you knew how to read and they found out you might lose a finger or a thumb! If some of our young people only realized what a privilege it is to read.. I wish they'd read more!

..he had never even spoken to her. But when the master was about to beat her.. He came forth and volunteered to take the beating for her..and asked if he could marry her days later. Even in plantation times.. Look it's romance. Nothing can stop love I guess.

Frank Bell's narrative reads like a movie.

One man just mentioned how on his plantation there were certain women just for the master or overseers. So they made an in house brothel. Mess!

J.H. Beckwith one of the best conversations.

Mr Charley Barber just told a story about a big earthquake in 1886 that made me laugh so hard! All the stories aren't sad. Each personality comes through and he.. Is funny!

Phoebe Banks tells a story I've never heard. Her family was owned by Creek Indians. They taught them to read. A lot of people from her ranch ran away with some Creeks who planned to go up north. Creeks & Blacks fought together against Rebel Creek soldiers. Some joined Yankee soldiers. What a story!

Some of these people don't know their father because he was the "stock" negro. That means "the buck" his job was to impregnate certain women who bred well to make more slaves for the master. So he didn't have to buy more or so he could sell more & get money. This is real stuff! Horrible!

A narrator just commented that all slaves took the last name of their master. This accounted for why they all had the last name if they were Kim or not. This is why we have a hard time tracking OUR history! It's so jacked up.

Charity Austin: of all the stories so far, hers is the first that mentions her master lied and told them they weren't free. The didn't know, so he got an additional year of slavery from them.

Mary Armstrong her story is almost as good as 12 years. I wish some film makers would make some of these stories.