. . . LEST WE FORGET: April 2010

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I think often about Lucinda and her parents.....

My name is Charity McAllister. My mother first b'longed to John Greene. She got in de family way by a white man. Dey sold my brother. He wus as white as you is.

http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/narratives/nar_charity_mcallister.htm

I tell you, I was whupped durin' slavery time. Dey whupped us wid horse hair whips. Dey put a stick under our legs an' tied our hands and we could not do nuthin' but turn and twist. Dey would sure work on your back end. Every time you turned, dey would hit it. I been whupped dat way and scarred up.

Dey did not give us any holidays, [not even] Christmas in Harnett County. Dat wus 'ginst de rules. No prayer nor nuthin' on de plantation in our houses. Dey did not 'low us to go to de white folks' church. Dey did not 'low de slaves to hunt, so we did not have any wild meat. Dey did not 'low us any [garden] patches. No, sirree, we did not have any money.

We had no overseers on master's plantation, and no books and schools o' any kind for slaves. I cannot read and write. No, sir. I wish I could read and write.

Yes, sir. I seed de patterollers. Oh, oh, de Ku Klux, huh-huh. Reubin Matthew's slave, George Matthews, killed two Ku Klux. Dey double-teamed him and shot him, and he cut 'em wid de ax and dey died.