Henrietta Isom
From:
Arkansas
Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Henrietta Isom, Biscoe, Arkansas
Age: 81
"I was born in Mississippi. It wasn't far from Memphis, Tennessee. I
heard em talking bout it then. When I first knowed anything we lived way
down in Mississippi. It was on a big farm not close to no place much. My
ma's and pa's master was named Thornton. Seems lack it was Jack and her
name was Miss Lucretia. They show did have a big family, little ones on
up. I have three sisters and a brother all dead--ma was a farm hand. She
left us wid a real old woman--all the little children stayed right wid
her. We minded her lack our ma's. She switch our legs if we didn't. She
carded and sewed about all the time.
"I don't know much about master and mistress; their house was way over
the field. They lived on a hill and had the finest well of water. It was
so cold. They had two buckets on a chain to pull it up by. The cabins
down closer to the creek. There was two springs one used mostly for
washing and the other for house use.
"I don't know how many cabins they was scattered. He had a lot of hands
about all I remembers--on Saturdays we get to go up to the house to
fetch back something; some provisions. They tell us if we be good we
could go. They done their own cooking. When they work their dinners was
sent to the shade trees from white folks house and the childrens was
sent too. We would all stand around Miss Rachel (white) when she bring
it then we go sit on the steps and eat. We show did have plenty to eat.
We wear the dresses new in cold weather then they wear thin for summer.
They be lighter in color too when they fade.
"I remember when the white folks left an went to war. They worked on.
They had a white man and a colored man boss. When freedom was declared
nearly all of them walked off so glad they was free. I don't know where
they all went. My folks went to another big place. We had a hard time.
We all farmed. I don't know what they expected from freedom. Nobody
didn't ask for nuthin. I remembers when some new hands was bought and
put on the place. I think they sold em off in town.
"After de war at the church they talked bout if they didn't get freedom
they would clang together for der rights but they never did do nuthin.
Times was so hard they had to work harder than before.
"The Yankees nor none of the soldiers ever come to our cabins--I seen
them along the roads. They show did clean up Miss Leucretia's calves and
hogs. Took em all off at one time. Rations show did get mighty scarce.
"They sing, I recken they did sing, go off to work singin and the men
whistlin. Mostly sung religious songs. Master Thornton had a white man
preach sometimes. Down in front of the cabins in the shade. Sometimes
somebody get to go to white church with the family. They held the baby.
They didn't have no school.
"I seed the Ku Klux Klans in the road light nights--when they pass we
all peep out the cracks. They didn't bother nobody I knowed. We was
scared they would turn in an come to the house.
"I farmed all my life, hoed cotton and corn. No maam I aint never
voted--I jess lives wid my children here and my son in Memphis and my
other daughter at Helena. My daughter do farm work and my son railroads.
He works in the yards.
"I don't know what to say bout the generations comin on. They is smarter
in their books and sees more than older folks, but they ain't no better.
You kaint depend on what they says. I don't know what to say would make
the country better lessen the folks all be better.
"I never heard of no rebellions. I jess lived in Mississippi till I
comes here and Memphis and stay around wid the children and
grandchildren. They all do fairly well for the fast times I guess."
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Clarice Jackson
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Mary Island
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