Christmas in Their Own Words - Before the 13th Amendment

18thVirginia

Major
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Sep 8, 2012
In the WPA Slave Narratives, one of the questions for the interviewers was to ask about Christmas. These are some of the statements about Christmas on the plantations, made by the people who'd been children in slavery times. The photos do not correspond to the narratives, as there seem to be an abundance of photos from Texas and fewer from the other states which participated in the project.

slave xmas.jpg

Scott Hooper, Ft. Worth, Texas

We slept on mattresses made o’ tow sacks. Our clothes were poor. One-piece dress made o’ carpet stuff, part of de time. Dey give ‘em to us on January first; no shoes till after Christmas. Dey did not give us any holidays Christmas in Harnett County. Dat was ‘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 slaves to hunt, so we did not have any game. Dey did not ‘low us any patches. No sirree, we did not have any money. Charity McAllister, North Carolina, p. 62, WPA Slave Narratives, LoC.



hermitage, savannah.jpg

The Whole black family at the Hermitage, Savannah, Ga


Christmas time, chilluns went to bed early ‘cause dey was skewered Santa Claus wouldn’t come. Us carried our stockin’s up to de big house to hang ‘em up. Next mornin’ us found ‘em full of all sorts of good things, ‘cept oranges. I never seed nary a orange ’til I was a big gal. Miss Polly had fresh meat, cake, syrup puddin’ and plenty of good sweet butter what she ‘lowanced out to her slaves at Christmas. Old Marster, he made syrup by de barrel. Plenty of apples and nuts and ground peas was raised right dar on de plantation. In de Christmas, de only wuk slaves done was jus’ piddlin’ ‘round de house and yards, cuttin’ wood, rakin’ leaves, lookin’ after de stock, waitin’ on de white folks and little chores lak dat. Hard wok started over again on de day after New Year’s Day. Old Marster ‘lowed ‘em mighty little rest from den ’til de craps was laid by. Frances Willingham, Georgia, p. 158
 
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