Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden
Person interviewed: James Davis
1112 Indiana St. (owner), Pine Bluff, Ark.
Age: 96
Occupation: Cotton farmer


"This is what's left of me. How old? Me? Now listen and let me tell you
how 'twas. Old mistress put all our ages in the family Bible, and I was
born on Christmas morning in 1840 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

"My old master was Peter Davis and he was old Jeff Davis' brother. There
was eight of them brothers and every one of em was as rich as cream.

"Old master was good to us. He said he wanted us singin' and shoutin'
and workin' in the field from morning to night. He fed us well and we
had plenty good clothes to wear--heavy woolen clothes and good shoes in
the winter time. When I was a young man I wore good clothes.

"I served slavery about twenty-four years before peace was declared. We
didn't have a thing in God's world to worry bout. Every darky old master
had, he put woolen goods and good heavy shoes every winter. Oh, he was
rich--had bout five or six thousand slaves. Oh, he had darkies aplenty.
He run a hundred plows.

"I went to work when I was seven pullin' worms off tobacco, and I been
workin' ever since. But when I was comin' up I had good times. I had