*Interview with Sara Colquitt*
--_Preston Klein, Opelika, Alabama_
_SHE JUST CAN REMEMBER HER HUSBAND'S NAME_
Sara Colquitt, who used to till the fields in slavery days, now has a
handmaiden of her own. Sara does not know the date of her birth in
Richmond, Virginia, but she says it was more than a century ago. (1937).
The "girl," whom her daughter has employed to take care of the nearly
blind and helpless centenarian, is well past eighty herself, yet she
keeps her charge neat and clean and the cabin in which they live tidy.
Sara's daughter works in the fields nearby at Opelika, Ala. to keep the
family going.
"Mr. Bill Slaughter and Miss Mary Slaughter was our marster and mistess
and dey had two chilluns, Marsa Robert and Marsa Brat," Sara said. "I
had four brothers and sisters, Tate, Sam, Jennie, and Tenner. Us lived
in log cabins wid dirt floors and dey was built in two long rows. Us
beds was nailed to de wall at one end and us used corn shucks and pine
straw for mattresses.
"Miss Mary was good to us, but us had to work hard and late. I worked in
de fields every day from 'fore daylight to almost plumb dark. I usta
take my littlest baby wid me. I had two chilluns, and I'd tie hit up to
a tree limb to keep off de ants and bugs whilst I hoed and worked de
furrow. All us niggers was fed from de big kitchen and wasn't hongry,
but sometimes us would steal more food dan was give us anyhow.
[Illustration: _Sara Colquitt, Opelika, Alabama_]
"I was one of de spinners, too, and had to do six cuts to de reel at de
time and do hit at night plenty times. Us clothes was homespun osnaburg,
what us would dye, sometimes solid and sometimes checked.
"'Sides working de fields and spinning, sometimes I'd ho'p wid de
cooking up at de Big House when de real cook was sick or us had a passel
of company. Us cooked on a great, big fireplace what had arms hanging
out over de coals to hang pots on to bile. Den us had three-legged
skillets what set right over de coals for frying and sech like. Us
cooked sho' 'nuff bread in dem days, ash cakes, de best thing you ever
et. Dey ain't nothing like dat dese days.
"I was sold oncet before I left Virginia. Den I was brung down to
Alabama and sold from de block for $1,000 to Mr. Sam Rainey, at Camp
Hill, Ala. I still worked in de fields, but I would cook for de white
folks and hope around de Big House on special 'casions. Our overseer was
Mr. Green Ross, and he was a bad one, too. Mean, my goodness! He'd whup
you in a minute. He'd put you in de buck, tie your feet and den set out
to whup you right.
"He would get us slaves up 'fore day, blowing on his big horn, and us
would work 'twell plumb dark. All de little niggers'd get up, too, and
go up to de Big House to be fed from wooden bowls. Den dey'd be called
ag'in 'fore us come from de fields and put to bed by dark. I useta stop
by de spring house to get de milk, it was good cold too, and tote it up
to de Big House for dinner.
"I had two chilluns. Dey was named Lou and Eli, and dey was took care of
like de rest. Us useta have some good times. Us could have all de fun us
wanted on Sa'dday nights, and us sho' had it, cutting monkeyshines and
dancing all night long sometimes. Some would pat and sing, 'Keys not
arunning, Keys not arunning," and us sho' did more'n dance, I'm telling
you. Sometimes our Mistess would come down early to watch us dance.
"Next to our dances, de most fun was corn-shucking. Marsa would have de
corn hauled up to de cribs and piled as a house. Den he would invite de
hands 'round to come and ho'p shuck it. Us had two leaders or generals
and choose up two sides. Den us see which side would win first and
holler and sing. I disremembers the hollers jest now. My mind is sorter
missing. Marsa would pass de jug 'round, too. Den dey sho' could work
and dat pile'd just vanish.
"Us used de white folks' church in de morning. I j'ined de church den,
'cause I always tried to live right and wid de Lord.
"When de Yankees come through Dadeville, Ala., us heard 'bout hit and
Marsa hid his money and lots of his fine things in de colored folks's
houses. Dey never found 'em neither.
"Lemme see who I married? I mighty nigh forgot who it was I did marry.
Now, I knows. Hit was Prince Hodnett.
"No'm, I don't want no more slavery. I hope dey don't have no more such,
'cause hit was terrible.
"Yes'm, I'd be proud to have my picture took."
So pridefully Sara's chair was dragged out on the porch by her maid, and
the "picture was took."