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Work Projects Administration

"Arkansas Narratives, Part 2"


"When de Civil War goin on I heard lots folks talking. I don't know what
all they did say. It was a war mong de white folks. Niggers had no say
in it. Heap ob them went to wait on their masters what went to fight.
Niggers didn't know what the fight war bout. Yankey troops come take
everything we had made, take it to the Bluff (DeValls Bluff), waste it
and eat it. He claim to be friend to the black man an do him jes dater
way. De niggers what had any sense tall stuck to the white folks.
Niggers what I knowed didn't spec nothin an they sho didn't get nothin
but freedom.
"I was sold. Yes mam I sho was. Jes put up on a platform and auctioned
off. Sold right here in Des Arc. Nom taint right. My old mistress [Mrs.
Snibley] whoop me till I run off and they took me back when they found
out where I lef from. I stayed way bout two weeks.
"One man I sho was glad didn't get me cause he whoop me. N[o]'[o]m he
didn't get me. I heard him puttin up the prices and I sho hope he didn't
get me.
"I don't know whar I come from. Old Missus Snibley kept my hat pulled
down over my face so I couldn't see de way to go back. I didn't want to
come and I say I go right back. Whar I set, right between old missus and
master on de front seat ob de wagon and my ma set between missus
Snibley's two girls right behind us.


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