w you is goin' to leave." But they didn't,
they stayed. Some stayed with old mistress till she died, but I
didn't. I married the first year of freedom.

"My mistress and me spin a many a cut of cotton together. She couldn't
beat me neither. If that old soul was livin' today, I'd be right with
her. I was gettin' along. I didn't know nothin' but freedom.

"I had freedom then and I ain't been free since, didn't have no
sponsibility. But when they turned you loose, you had your doctor bill
and your grub bill--now wasn't you a slave then?

"My mammy was a cook and her name was Katy.

"After I was married we went to live at Black Ankle. I learned to cook
and I sho did cook for the white folks twenty-one years. I used to go
back and see old mistress. If I stay away too long, she send for me.

"How many childen I had? You want the truth? Well, fifteen, but never
had but three to live any length of time.

"Well, I told you the best I know and the straightest I know. If I
can't tell you the truth, I'm not goin' to tell you nothin'.

"Yes, honey, I saw the Ku Klux."

Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Lucy Jones,
Marianna, Arkansas
Age: Born 1866
[Date Stamp: MAY 11 1938]

"I was raised second year after the surrender. I don't know a father
or mother. They was dead when I was five years old. I had no sisters
nor brothers. Mrs. Cynthia Hall raised me. She raised my mother.
Master Hall was her husband. They was old people and they was so good
to me. They had no children and I lived in the house with them. I
never went to school a day in my life. I can't read. I can count
money.

"My mother was dark. I married when I was fifteen years old. I have
four children living. They are all dark. They are about the same color
but darker than I am.

"No ma'am, I don't believe one could be voodooed. I lived nearly all
my life with white folks and they don't heed no foolishness like that,
do they? I cooked, worked in the field, washed and ironed.

"I married three times. The first time at Raymond, Mississippi. I
never had no big weddings.

"Seems like some folks have lost their grip and ain't willing to start
over. I don't know much to say for the young people. They are not
smart. They got more schooling. They try to shirk all the work they
can. I never seen no Ku Klux in my life. People used to raise nearly
all their living at home and now they depend on buying nearly
everything.