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Work Projects Administration

"Arkansas Narratives, Part 2"


They think they is better than we is. A Darkey jes don' love one another
an stick t'gether like white fokes does. But ah is goin ter stick ter my
ole man. He needs me. He is jes like a little helpless chile widout me
ter look after him. Ah used to be mighty frisky an mighty proud when ah
wuz young but ah wazn' as good then as ah is now. Ah likes ter go ter
church. See that little white church over de hill? That is Douglas
Chapel, a Baptist church. Me an mah ole man give de lan' fuh that
church. We had plenty them days when Douglas was laid out (meaning
Douglas Addition). But now poar ole niggers don' have enough ter eat all
de time. None of them church members is missionary enough ter bring us
somethin' ter eat. White fokes have good hearts but niggers is
grudgeful. De bigges thing among white fokes is they do lie sometime an
when they do they kin best a nigger all to pieces.
Niggers don' have as much 'ligion as they use ter. Ah went to a
missionary meeting at one sister's house an she said ter me: "Sister
Douglas, start us off wid a song" an ah started off with "Amazing
Grace." Sang bout half of de first verse an noticed none of them j'ined
in but ah kep' right on singin' an wuz gettin full of de sperit when
that sister spoke up an said: "Sister Douglas, don' yo know that is done
gone out of style?" an selected "Fly Away" an den all of them sisters
j'ined in an sung "Fly away, fly away" an hit sounded jes like a dance
chune.


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