Jenny Greer
From:
Tennessee
INTERVIEW
EX-SLAVES
JENNY GREER
706 Overton, Street.
Nashville, Tennessee
"Am 84 y'ars ole en wuz bawn in Florence, Alabama, 'bout seben miles
fum town. Wuz bawn on de Collier plantashun en Marster en Missis wuz
James en Jeanette Collier. Mah daddy en mammy wuz named Nelson en Jane
Collier. I wuz named atter one ob mah Missis' daughters. Our family
wuz neber sold er divided."
"I'se bin ma'ied once. Ma'ied Neeley Greer. Thank de Lawd I aint got
no chilluns. Chilluns ez so bad now I can't stand dem ter save mah
life."
"Useter go ter de bap'isin's en dey would start shoutin' en singin'
w'en we lef' de chuch. Went ter deze bap'isin's in Alabama, Memphis,
en 'yer in Nashville. Lawdy hab mercy, how we useter sing. Only song I
members ez 'De Ole Time 'ligion.' I useter go ter camp meetin's.
Eve'rbody had a jolly time, preachin', shoutin' en eatin' good
things."
"We didn't git a thing w'en we wuz freed. W'en dey said we wuz free
mah people had ter look out fer demselves."
"Don' member now 'bout K.K.K. er 'structshun days. Mah mammy useter
tell us a lot ob stories but I'se fergot dem. I'se neber voted en
dunno ob any frens bein' in office."
"No mam, no mam, don't b'leeve in diff'ent colurs ma'rin. I member one
ole sign--'bad luck ter empty ashes atter dark.'"
"I'se hired out wuk'n in white folks house since freedum. I'se a widow
now en live 'yer wid mah neice en mah sistah."
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Emma Grisham
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Precilla Gray
