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During the great depression in America circa the l930's the Federal Government funded a project to provide work for un employed writers.
They were hired by the Federal Government to go down South and interview former slaves...many of whom were still alive at that time.
Here is one such interview though there were many others of a similar nature.
Here's Clara Davis,circa 1937, waxing nostalgic about her days of bondage in Alabama:
They were hired by the Federal Government to go down South and interview former slaves...many of whom were still alive at that time.
Here is one such interview though there were many others of a similar nature.
Here's Clara Davis,circa 1937, waxing nostalgic about her days of bondage in Alabama:
"White folks you can have your automobiles, paved streets and lights. You can have your buses, and street cars, and hot pavement and tall buildings cause I aint got no use for em no way. I tell you what I do want--I want my old cotton bed and the moonlight shining through the willow trees, and the cool grass under my feet while I run around catching lightening bugs. I want to feel the sway of the old wagon, going down the red, dusty road, and listening to the wheels groaning as they roll along. I want to sink my teeth into that old ash cake.
White folks, I want to see the boats passing up and down the Alabammy river and hear the slaves singing at their work. I want to see dawn break over the black ridge and the twilight settle over the place spreading an orange hue. I want to walk the paths through the woods and see the rabbits and the birds and the frogs at night...
But they took me away from that a long time ago. Weren't long before I married and had children, but don't none of em contribute to my support now. One of them was killed in the big war with German, and the rest is all scattered out--eight of em. Now I just live from hand to mouth. Here one day, somewhere else the next. I guess we all gonna die iffin this depression don't let us alone. Maybe someday I'll get to go home. They tell me that when a person crosses over that river, the Lord gives him what he wants. I don told the Lord I don't want nothing much---only my home, white folks. I don't think that's much to ask for. I suppose he'll send me back there. I been waiting a long time for him to call. "