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Oklahoma Slave Narrative
Charles Willis
I found Mr. Willis seated on the front
porch eating lemon drops out of a bag. He consumed the whole bag during the
interview which lasted about 3 hours. He talked slowly and between his sucks on
the lemon drops. He is hard of hearing and is losing his eyesight. He possesses
a good sense of humor. Talked incessantly of matrimony and pretty gals. I was
born in Lawrence County, Mississippi on the Sharp
Plantation. My missus was name Sang Sharp
and my mastah was name John Sharp. My
mastah had 10 or 12 slaves and we done very well. Jining our place, the folks
owned hundreds of slaves and jest beat them nearly to death. Even beat blood
outta their back. I was whipped once by the white folks. That one time was by
my mistress and don't fergit she whipped me. I never remembah having shoes on
only in winter time. Ever body wore them jest in winter time less they was able
to buy some. We diden' work Sadday afternoon and Sundays and doing of dis time
off and in evenin's off we would make money. My mother was a right yeller
woman. She worked in the fields jest like I done. When she stood up, her hair
fell on the floor. I tuck hair after her. My mother died 28 years ago at 92
years of age. My father was sold befo' I could remember him. I never got no learning
cause I jest diden have no chance. My mastah and mistress was old folks and
diden have no chillun young 'nuf to go to school. I was 15 years old when the
war started. I remember ever thing 'bout that war. In fact I remembers ever
thing 'bout all slavery. Grant and Lee met in Richmond, Virginia. Grant was over the Union army an' Lee over the Yankees. When the war was over, all
mastah could say was the Yankees done freed yo'all so you kin go where you
wants. We stayed on 5 or 6 years and was paid 5 to 10 dollars per month and got
room and board. There wasn't a God's thing to old Jefferson
Davis. They wasn't nuthin' to him. He was 'sposed to be president of
the Rebels. He sho hid a lot to keep the niggers and soldiers from gittin' him.
I think Booker T. Washington did the
cullud folks a lotta good. He was a principal down in Alabama. I think Mr. Lincoln was all right. Nothing short about
him. He said ever race should be free as far as the 'Merican flag rech, and
when he signed that proclamation, it was the bes' thing he ever done. He done
more for us than any man done since Jesus lef'. I was a mill boy. Had to ride a
horse 5 or 6 miles. No steam mill lak today. Gins run all night ginning cotton.
Gals lake you was sold for seven or eight hundred dollars. The woman I married
was sold for $800. Mastah and mistress was our only bosses and over seers. We
had to ask them to go to church doing of the week. They sildom whipped us and
didn't 'low nobody else to whip us. We went to the white folks church and
stayed on the church porch or out under the trees right by so we could hear. We
sing old hymns we don't sing now. I am a Baptist and member of Tabernacle
Baptist Church. I never seen no other 'nomination I cared anything 'bout. We
was let off Sadday at noon and could go to the fiddlin's and dance all night.
You could hear the niggers dancin' a mile away. The same man called for us that
called fer the white folks. He could sure call 'em too. We did the Back Step
and Shuffle. The tunes was Egg Nog, Sugar and Beer and Natcha Under the Hill. I
don't recollect none of the words of the tunes. I married in February 1867. We
moved to Oklahoma in 1891. My wife died in 1933. She was a good wife. My
chillun is well read. How old are you? Would you marry a man 90 years old? I would
like to marry a nice gal wid a job, cause I had to quit even odd jobs 10 years
ago. If you say so, we'll have a big dinner July 4th and be married. Come back
and see me. Is this Monday? Come back Thursday and I'll tell all my other gals
to stay 'way. Good bye, I gotta go in. Daughter, come give me a drink and take
me in off the front porch.
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