Arey Lamar
From:
Arkansas
Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: Arey Lamar
612 E. 14th Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Age: 78
[Date Stamp: MAY 31 1938]
"Yes'm, I was born in slavery days but I don't know what day. But you
know I been hustlin' 'round here a long time.
"My mother said I was a great big girl when surrender come.
"I was born in Greenville, Mississippi but I was raised down at Lake
Dick.
"I was a servant in Captain Will Nichols' house. I got a cup here now
that was Captain Nichols' cup. Now that was away back there. That's a
slavery time cup. After the handle got broke my mother used it for her
coffee cup.
"My mother's name was Jane Condray. After everything was free, a lot
of us emigrated from the old country to Arkansas. When we come here we
come through Memphis and I know I saw a pair of red shoes and cried
for mama to buy 'em for me, but she wouldn't do it.
"After I was grown and livin' in Little Rock, I bought me a pair of
red shoes. I know I wore 'em once and I got ashamed of 'em and blacked
'em.
"My brother run away when they was goin' to have that Baxter-Brooks
War and ain't been seen since.
"I was the oldest girl and never did get a education, and I hate it. I
learned to work though.
"I don't know 'bout this younger generation. It looks like they're
puttin' the old folks in the background. But I think it's the old
christian people is holdin' the world together today."
Next:
Solomon Lambert
Previous:
Barney A Laird
