Ira Foster

From: More Arkansas

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Ira Foster
2000 W. Eureka Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 76

"I was born in slavery because when the people come back from the War I
was a pretty good sized yellin' boy when freedom come.

"I heerd 'em tellin' 'bout my young master comin' back from the War.

"Yes ma'am, I was sure born in Arkansas; I won't tell no lie 'bout that.

"My mother's old master was named Foster and after she married she
belonged to Hezekiah Bursey.

"She was born in Alabama and she said she was pretty badly treated.

"She was the cook and then she was the weaver and the spinner.

"I never have been to school. Never did learn nothin'. My father put me
to work soon as I was big enough.

"I always done farm work all my life till 'bout twenty years ago as near
as I can come at it. I went to saw millin' and I didn't do nothin' but
manufacture lumber. I worked for the Camden Lumber Company eighteen
years and never caused 'em a minute's trouble.

"If I just had enough to live on I wouldn't do a thing but just sit
around 'cause I think I done worked my share. Why, some of the white
folks say, 'Foster, you ought to have a pension of thirty or forty
dollars a month.' And I say, 'Why?' And they say, 'Cause you look just
like a darky that has worked hard in this world.'

"I suffers with the rheumatism in my right leg clear up and down. Seems
like sometimes I can't hardly get around."

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