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Updated: June 14, 2025
I nebber went ter schul a day in mah life, ma'ied 'fore freedum en w'en I got free, had ter wuk all de time ter mek a libin' fer mah two chillen. One libes in California en I lives wid de uther, tergedder wid mah great, great, grandson, five y'ars ole, in Nashville.
Sum ob dem would almos' luze dere clothes, en dey'd fall down lak dey wuz dying. Deze last few y'ars dey hab got ter stylish ter shout. INTERVIEW Precilla Gray 807 Ewing Ave. Nashville, Tenn. I think I'se 107 Y'ars ole. Wuz bawn in Williamson County 'fore de Civil wah.
Once more there was a pause, then as though pointing his moral the spokesman supplemented his remarks: "Hit hes need ter be a thing," he said, solemnly, "thet's goin' ter terrify this whole country in sich dire fashion thet fer twenty y'ars ter come no grand juror won't dast vote fer no investigation."
"Am 84 y'ars ole en wuz bawn in Florence, Alabama, 'bout seben miles fum town. Wuz bawn on de Collier plantashun en Marster en Missis wuz James en Jeanette Collier. Mah daddy en mammy wuz named Nelson en Jane Collier. I wuz named atter one ob mah Missis' daughters. Our family wuz neber sold er divided." "I'se bin ma'ied once. Ma'ied Neeley Greer. Thank de Lawd I aint got no chilluns.
Soon as de chillens, wuz seven y'ars ole, dey started dem ter 'nittin'. Marster Sam Pointer, husband of Missis Synthis, wus a good man en he wuz good ter us en he fed en clothed us good. We wore yarn hoods, sha'ls, en pantletts which wuz 'nit things dat kum fum yo shoe tops ter 'bove yo knees. De marster wuz also a 'ligious man en he let us go ter chuch.
But maybe you can tell me what to do. I likes this place. And I do hopes I get a pension before I gets to be a 'hundred." INTERVIEW RACHEL GAINES 1025 10th Ave. N. Nashville, Tennessee "Lawdy! I'se dunno how ole I ez. B'leeves I'se 'round 95 ter 100 y'ars. De fust thing I members ez I wuz tuk in a waggin ter Trenton, Kentucky en sold ter Dr. Bainbridge Dickerson jest lak dey sold cows en hosses.
W'en I wuz sold ter marster Simpkins, mah second mistress made me a house slave en I wuked only at de big house en mah wuk wus ter nuss en dress de chilluns en he'ps mah missis in her dressin'. De young slaves wuz hired out ter nuss de white chilluns. I wuz hired as nuss girl at seven y'ars ole en started cookin' at ten. I nebber had a chance ter go ter schul.
Sum peeples, white en black, w'en dey fin' a hoss shoe, dey would tack hit up on de frunt door frame wid de toe ter de groun'." "Atter de Marster en Missus d'ed, I went ter Nashville en made mah way fur menny y'ars by washin' en ironin' fer white peeple but atter I went blind I kum 'yer ter live wid mah daughter." INTERVIEW FRANKIE GOOLE 204 5th Ave. So. Nashville, Tenn.
"I'se 87 y'ars ole. Wuz bawn in slavery. Wuz freed w'en de slavery stopped. Mack Ramsey wuz mah marster en he wuz sho good ter his slaves. He treated dem as human bein's. W'en he turned his slaves 'loose he gib dem no money, but gib dem lands, clothin' en food 'til dey could brang in dere fust crop. Mah daddy rented a strip ob land 'til he wuz able ter buy de place.
I hab lived on dis street fer 60 years. I lived 22 y'ars whar de Hermitage Laundry ez. Dat ez whar I got de name "Mammie." W'iles livin' dere I raised eighteen chilluns white en black, en sum ob dem iz good ter me now. I had sum papah's 'bout mah age en diff'ent things, but w'en de back waters got up, dey got lost.
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