August 31, 1936
[Date Stamp: MAY 8 1937]


Mollie Mitchell, a white haired old darkey, 85 years old was born on the
Newt Woodard plantation. It is the old Jackson Road near Beulah Church.
Until she was 7 years old she helped about the house running errands for
her "Missus", "tendin' babies", "sweeping the yard", and "sich." At 7
she was put in the fields. The first day at work she was given certain
rows to hoe but she could not keep in the row. The Master came around
twice a day to look at what they had done and when it was not done
right, he whipped them. "Seems like I got whipped all day long," she
said. One time when Mollie was about 13 years old, she was real sick,
the master and missus took her to the bathing house where there was
"plenty of hot water." They put her in a tub of hot water then took her
out, wrapped her in blankets and sheets and put her in cold water. They
kept her there 4 or 5 days doing that until they broke her fever.
Whenever the negroes were sick, they always looked after them and had a
doctor if necessary. At Christmas they had a whole week holiday and
everything they wanted to eat. The negroes lived a happy carefree life
unless they "broke the rules." If one lied or stole or did not work or
did not do his work right or stayed out over the time of their pass,
they were whipped. The "pass" was given them to go off on Saturday. It
told whose "nigger" they were and when they were due back, usually by 4
o'clock Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. "The patta-roll" (patrol)
came by to see your pass and if you were due back home, they would give
you a whippin'!"

Mollie was 15 years old when the master came out in the fields and told
them they were as free as he was. Her family stayed with him. He gave