Deb’s Reviews > Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from The Federal Writers' Project > Status Update

There are 2000 some of these narratives. I am glad they are online. I can come back to them periodically and read.

Stopped reading a narrative recorded by interviewer Henry Grant because I question his unbiased recording of what the interviewee was stating. Prior to speaking with the interviewee Grant described the man & called him a "darkie". The interview sounds proslavery & I believe more Grant than ex-slave. Sad! Liberties were definitely taken!

W.L. Bost tells an interesting truthful tale of what he witnessed during slavery times but the most interesting is hint into his own family life. He mentions an adopted interracial son who grows to pass and deny his race. And how he seems to disown him for this.

W.L. Bost tells an interesting truthful tale of what he witnessed during slavery times but the most interesting is hint into his own family life. He mentions an adopted interracial son who grows to pass and deny his race. And how he seems to disown him for this.

Rev Frank T Boone: interesting account of Free Negros & Black OWNED slaves. (Posted a quote)

Wow! Lewis Bonner said before his father could get whipped one more time he killed 18 white men & ran away. He came back 3yrs later & killed 7 more before they killed him. He must have mentally snapped from all that mistreatment. Smh!

Elvira Boles unwanted daughter of a master. Sold to a master who made her mother.. To a child of a master. To avoid freeing his slaves he went on the lam for a yr running from the Yankees. To Texas. Where they were freed anyway.

I wonder if some of these old folks were not just old and delusional or affected by the depression of the time. A man just talked about slavery not being so bad. He really went on. Then ended the interview with how he preserved meat in the woods when he was a runaway. Here is perspective on these interviews. What is truth and what is the minds tricks? We remember what we want to don't we?

Old tattle tail told on the uprising. Those slaves just wanted to stop being mistreated and be free. I don't know how that man could live with himself. Well, it said he died shortly after the interview. Maybe he needed to confess.

Julia Banks. So interesting. They had a ranch after slavery of their own!