my parents rented land and farmed. I stayed with the old
doctor woman till I was fourteen then I went to my parents.

"I married when I was eighteen and had five chillun. When I worked for
my father he'd let us quit when we got tired and sit under the shade
bushes. But when I married I had to work harder than ever. My husband
was just a run-around. He'd put in a crop and then go and leave it.
Sometimes he was a constable. Finally he went off and took up with
another woman.

"I been here in Arkansas all my life except eight months I lived in St.
Louis, but I didn't like it. When I was in St. Louis I know it started
to snow. I thought it was somebody pickin' geese. I said, 'What is
that?' and my granddaughter said, 'Gal, that's snow.'

"I don't know what to think of the younger generation. I think they is
just goin' out to nothin'. They say they are gettin' weaker and wiser
but I think they are weaker and foolish--they are not wise in the right
way. Some are very good to their parents and some are not.

"Honey, I don't know how things is goin'--all I know is they is mighty
tight right now."

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Emma Turner
330 W. Sixth Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 83

"Yes ma'am, I was born in slavery days. They never did tell me when I
was born but I was ten the seventh day of August the same year we was
freed.

"No ma'am, I wasn't born in Arkansas. I was born in Georgia. I sent
there and got my license to show my age. I was twenty years old when I
married.

"George Jones was my old master. But, Lawd, them folks is all dead now.
Old master and old missis, yes ma'am, all of 'em dead.

"Fight 'round us? No, they didn't fight there but they come through
there. Yes ma'am, they come through there. Oh, chile, they got horses
and mules.

"Used to give us the Confederate money. Wasn't no good though. They got
the silver and gold. Confederate money was white on one side and green
on the other. Yes'm, they was Yankees.

"Oh, yes'am, old master was good to us. He didn't never marry. My
grandmother was the cook.

"My mother was born in Virginia. I heerd her talk of the Nat Turner
Rebellion but I never did see him.

"Our folks stayed right on after freedom and hired by the month. And
hired us children for our victuals and clothes.

"I stayed there till I was married. Then I come to Vicksburg,
Mississippi. Had nine children and all dead but two.