Part 1 Hear Former Slaves Speak
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- čas přidán 22. 11. 2009
- Hear Former Slaves Express Their Feelings About Slavery. Turn on Closed Caption If you have trouble understanding what the former slave is saying.
The almost seven hours of recorded interviews took place between 1932 and 1975 in nine Southern states. Twenty-three interviewees, born between 1823 and the early 1860s, discuss how they felt about slavery, slaveholders, coercion of slaves, their families, and freedom. Several individuals sing songs, many of which were learned during the time of their enslavement. It is important to note that all of the interviewees spoke sixty or more years after the end of their enslavement, and it is their full lives that are reflected in these recordings. The individuals documented in this presentation have much to say about living as African Americans from the 1870s to the 1930s, and beyond.
All known recordings of former slaves in the American Folklife Center are included in this presentation. Some are being made publicly available for the first time and several others already available now include complete transcriptions. Unfortunately, not all the recordings are clearly audible. Although the original tapes and discs are generally in good physical condition, background noise and poorly positioned microphones make it extremely difficult to follow many of the interviews.
Link to site with names and ages of slaves who were still living at 100 and up years of age.
freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.a...
Bless his heart and may he be at peace now.
I hope he is at peace also...
Nicholas Sotiropoulos Watch yourself.
lol u must think you going? lol naw hell for ppl like u, that say things like dat
your a piece of shit
Nicholas Sotiropoulos , what a sad human being you are. You must be terribly unhappy, same as anyone who likes your comment.
After all the horrible things he’s been through he remains a true gentleman. Rest in peace sir
While working on my family tree, I found out that many of my ancestors were slave owners.... I had nothing to do with that, but I was sorry to learn of it.....
The story in my family from the old timers, was that after the civil war, my ancestor's slaves refused to leave their so called masters... That they loved them and preferred to stay loyal to them.....
That was BS.... where could they go?.... How could they go, and what money did they have to go with?....
They had been promised 40 acres and a mule by the federal government and that was a lie.... They were abandoned by the government to fend for themselves, so they had no choice but to stay when they could and work for what ever their former so called masters would dole out to them....
The institution of slavery as practiced in America was satanic to say the least.... How anyone dares to think they have the right to own another human beings is beyond my mind to even consider....
Yeah my brothers wife family has a similar story their slaves were freed but they stayed to help their family until they died and are all buried in the family cemetery. Personally I believe a lot of what we are taught about slavery and those times are a big fucking lie and they duped us all
Reading your comments has touched me as a Black Goddess to see that you have empathy for us is overwhelming...may God bless you always
Thank you for seeing this for what it was. It's easy and convenient for people to believe the myth that slaves were happy in their servitude. It justifies the atrocity. I'm grateful to people like you who are willing to educate themselves and learn the history with empathy.
I appreciate you living in your truth and not feeling like it’s the worst thing in the world to own it…yes it’s shameful but it’s actually more shameful to not admit the horror of slavery
I commend you got being able to stand up care with a beautiful heart for all people you my friend are truly blessed with goodness in your heart may God bless you always
Letters such as this need to be in our children's school curriculum. To teach about a rightful man's journey from slavery.
I agree! This story and many more.
This is what the Republicants call Critical Race Theory 🧐
my heart goes out to my beautiful ancestors..it's sad they had to endure this atrocious way of life
This is beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Just listen to the nuances + the rythm of speaking. And the little children in the background; sò normal, just like today! A honour to listen to this man. Rest in GOD'S peace, sir! From a white South African woman
After listening to this man speak of his life and experiences I'm struck by the fact that he's not a bitter man. He didn't speak ill of his master or mistress or anyone. I find that remarkable.
I suppose it goes to show that we can choose to live or choose to live bitterly. He choose to live and share his story without bitterness.
I've learned a lesson about gratitude and and attitude today.
Thank you sir. I have no doubt you rest in God's arms today. For the least of us on earth will be the greatest in heaven.
it's crazy to think that baby crying in the background is old enough to be my grandmother
Yea
the man discusses his life with no animosity or regret, just matter of factly. how could something so horrific be around for thousands of years?
Probably because what you imagine as horrific was actually a very nice life, and your life would be considered horrific to them. You barely keep any more of your income than they did. =D But you also eat trash, and watch trash, and listen to trash. Basically, they'd think of you as a human trash can.
I think what these people would say about their modern ancestors is, "You were born free and this is what you've done with that blessing?" Freedom doesn't have the same value for every individual.
@@alphadriver3020 good analysis.
This is a time machine. A human voice, a man, speaking of his world and times. It's real. The human spirit. The voice is true.
No matter how I tried to not let my emotions come to the surface I couldn't hold my tears I read a number of the Texas Slave Narratives and two of my ancestors were interviewed so I have a great deal of skin in this historical era. All this is personal to me.
I had no idea such a thing existed! I’m looking now! Thank you!
@@Jenny010132Mississippi too
This is why I love history...It's fascinating to hear this from someone who experienced it...No movie bulls*****t.
This is such a great piece of history for me and my siblings to hear!!, my family we where slaves for at least 2 generations and fortunately my great great grandmother Signora Alexander and her husband William Alexander, got away and started a new life for what is now the Whiteheads... #knowyourhistory, We own our slave home in Louisiana and a church and two stores, My blood has come from the Alexander plantation, Yet we prevail!!
Damn Whiteheads that's definitely a slave owners name
That’s amazing your great great grandparents were so brave.
Wow! That’s amazing. I’d like to trace my history.
Wow, your family really owns there slave home? That's really interesting (historically) imo. Not to say it makes the whole situation any less worse.
Thank god your village chief sold you to your benevolent master, who bankrolled your immigration to our glorious land of opportunity!
Wow! I never knew that there were former slaves who got interviewed on tape like this. This is remarkable...
There's a lot more if you look up slave narratives.
Extraordinary! CZcams really is a time capsule. Where could I find more like this interview? This is fascinating
There are probably numerous others. Audio recording technology was fairly common at the beginning of the 20th century, close to 40 years after the civil war and emancipation. Many early recordings didn’t survive, but I’ve heard of quite a few others that did. My grandfather probably knew some former slaves, after he was born in 1917...they all would have been elderly by the time he was a lil older.
Amen
Former slaves were alive well into the early and possibly mid 1900's.
Wow!!! This man stated that he was given $5 monthly from the government. It's hard to believe that such a small amount provided for this man all he needed to survive. Yet, he seemed so grateful. This is an extremely moving interview. We are so materialistic today and take so many things for granted. This video makes me stop and appreciate all of my ancestors who endured so many hardships so that I can be free today.
For those who don't know. when this man began to speak about the Pettus family, that name should ring a bell. A bridge that stands today is name after one of there members. {Edmund Pettus}. For this man not to have much education, he speaks well. May God rest his soul. Amen Amen and Amen.
and AMEN again 😔
+Roger Cook - Great observation. Thank you for pulling that out and highlighting it. The captions only listed the first and last name initials. I was ignorant of the Pettus family, or even Edmund Pettus. The gentleman speaking, Mr. Moseley, referenced the Pettus name in such a tone that I couldn't make it out. After listening to again, it was interesting to hear him recall his perspective on John Pettus. (It sounded like he said "John.") I am curious when this interview was conducted. I suspect perhaps 1940s-1950s. Tremendous historical recording. The other recorded interviews described in the narrative are probably a delightful treasure to hear. After first hand experience through such a significant transformational period in the U.S., these old-timers can provide quite a rich perspective.
Lexngton Green I couldn't have said it better.
Your cool
Roger Cook. Very nice comment. Everyone should know Edmund Pettus and the bridge you speak of. He is a good speaker also strikes me as so kind. How anyone could mistreat him is beyond me. I'm glad that there are recordings like this.
Reading some of the comments here show how little progress has been made in this society. There is nothing to say except RESPECT to this old timer. No need to show disrespect by starting stupid arguments. Just listen and learn from this strong old man.
You are 100% right. Listen to the stories and lessons that the people in our past try to teach to us so that we may not make the same mistakes that they did. This old fella was one of the final pages in the long, sometimes amazing, sometimes inspiring, and often times soul crushingly depressing book titled "The Story of America: Volume #1". We now have Volume #2 open before us, the pages are blank, pure, and waiting for us to begin writing out the story that will describe our time here and what mark we will leave on this wonderful 250 year long experiment known as The United States of America. A Republic that stands tall and loudly proclaims to the entire world THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
You are 100% right. Listen to the stories and lessons that the people in our past try to teach to us so that we may not make the same mistakes that they did. This old fella was one of the final pages in the long, sometimes amazing, sometimes inspiring, and often times soul crushingly depressing book titled "The Story of America: Volume #1". We now have Volume #2 open before us, the pages are blank, pure, and waiting for us to begin writing out the story that will describe our time here and what mark we will leave on this wonderful 250 year long experiment known as The United States of America. A Republic that stands tall and loudly proclaims to the entire world THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
A little over the top, but thanks for taking the time.
the problem is that people often have no respect for history until they get old themselves, then it is too late.
You are right about that.
sad he thought the govt treated him good at this point in his life because he never knew what a decent life was.
Life for everyone back than was hard. Each generation has it better than the last In most cases. Slavery is still alive and well today around the world.
@Dee Cee Please explain how you would be grateful after anyone brandmarked, shackled, whooped, treated you as sub human and owned you as cattle?
They were so desperate for hope they'd take anything.
@@scottchadwick6921 are you comparing low paid employees of this time to recently freed slaves under Jim Crow laws... by standards of today, yes, everyone’s life was hard. In this context however, the two don’t come close to comparing.
@@scottchadwick6921 Not everyone
Isom Moseley a former slave was 88 years old at the time of this recording. Sorry it took so long to reply, I had problems accessing my channel. Now I can start work on part 2. Stay tuned
Amazing to hear these voices from so long ago. History from their own lips. I remember in the 80s, and I was 14, the TV had a program with some similar recordings, and I felt like I was time traveling, it was so special.
Direct narratives from ordinary people who experienced and witnessed history are some of the most powerful and important primary sources you can give to a student. This is why I will make sure to show these narratives to my students as a social studies teacher.
Wow yall heard what my great grandfather said when asked about the government, " they treat me alright, they give me clothes and five domkara a month " . That had me breaking down. He appreciates the little bit that he gets without even speaking ill of the government. Rest in peace big pop
His accent and pronunciation takes me back to the good ole' days listening to my grandmother and the southern Blacks; especially the ones who used to pick 'backa (tobacco).
It's so awesome hearing their voices. I can actually feel the rich history in Isom's tone.
Puts into perspective how recent slavery actually was, to the point that we actually have audio recordings of people who had memories of being owned as property.
My goodness! I'm from the UK and can understand everything the gentleman said without the captions.
Well-spoken as a former enslaved man. Excellent memory. No self-destructive bitterness. Very humble. Strong, intelligent person.
I would have liked to have had the honor of meeting him, sitting down for supper together and talking. I love to sit and listen to our elders. I am so glad that this recording was made 🙏🇮🇱😇❤️
I could listen to him talk all day in that lullaby Southern accent and have no trouble understanding him. Some of my earliest, sweetest memories are of relatives who spoke much as he did. I believe that our famous "Southern accent" got its soft lilting tones from Africa. The African slaves may have come over in chains, but they changed us. Their impact upon every aspect of who we are has never been measured but it is huge. I speak of "they" and "we" but I think that a large part of the racism issue in the US has to do with the fact that we are each other, we are cousins and share ancestors, and we have not yet come to terms with that.
Beautiful soul.
@MrNorthernSol and this fool of to day always saying we don't speak correct English,I tell them I'm Africans blood run deeply in my veins I'm not English or England 💪💥
Much respect to this sweet soul
Here because of the P-Valley comment. So glad Ms. Katori Hall shared this link. I wouldn't have known such recordings existed. Makes me so grateful for life today.
I love that we have this history to listen to so we never forget.
I appreciate this recording. Thank you!
I don't understand why some are even watching this video if you don't care.. I don't bother with things i have no interest in... smh.. just fishing for drama i guess.. On the first hand i appreciate being able to go back in time it is very encouraging. He is a very kind man.. peace be still...
Wow the voice makes it so real and not so distant. I am so glad that my family served in the Union army during the civil war being from Kentucky they were not required to serve so it was to end slavery that my family served along side so many others. God bless the sole of this ex slave. Listen to this man so that you may learn and remember so that we never again allow ourselves as human beings to ever consider ourselves better than anyone else.
It is so wonderful being able to hear one of the actual voices of history. This dear man and others like him struggled and endured so many trials. Now, we as African American people live in a better place (though, we still have long to go). If only more people would take the time to think about history and how far we have come, the world would be a better place.
Thank you so much for posting and God bless you.
My great grandmother lived to be 106. She was so old that she had started growing a third set of teeth. She would drink some kind of alchoholic drink & the dr would say to let her keep drinking it because it was what was keeping her alive. Don't remember what kind of alchohol it was my uncle told me she would drink, I'll have to ask him again. Oh by the way, my uncle is 95 years old
I do find it interesting how former slaves were able to live well into their 100's. Even my great grandmother lived to be 102. While we today can barely make it to our 80's. This attest to the lifestyle and nutrition of thar time. What ever they did it was much better than modern times.
More over I believe it has to do with the purity of the food. If the phrase you are what you eat is to be believed, then eating the most unprocessed, unrefined foods could only be the healthiest food possible.
Not to mention that the environment they lived in has much cleaner air with less carcinogens and chemicals
@@jannyjt2034 I mean they were doing hard labor their entire lives so…
This is awesome...listening in 2021! Thank you! 🙏🏽
Listening in 2022
An invaluable account. We have a fair number of written narratives, but audio recordings such as this are a treasure indeed.
Thank you for posting. We must never forget what happened. Listening to this man talk about how good he had it and his last master was a good man. Makes all of us seem so spoiled and take things for granted. God Bless this man. I am so glad I watched this video. I feel humbled.
Breaks my heart that slavery ever happened. Even through the Bible.I think this world would be a much better place if it had never happened.💔
I know and is hard to fathom at times that every single race upon this earth for thousands of years has endured slavery at one time or another. Still goes on today... :-(
Very interesting to hear this piece of history. Sadly, many of today's rappers and black youth sound just like this in 2016.
What do you mean
alex briant I mean it's sad that some of our folks have the dialect of and sound like former slaves.
DJ, I would say the Black people you refer to speak worse than the person in the video.
tru
+Tedbert
This guy was a former slave... he had an excuse. 150 years later with folks still talking like this is the sad part.
This is what I call history! Fantastic post. Thanks a million, great work.
One can not thank you enough. For people who love narratives, this is more precious than gold.
My heart weeps for their pain and suffering. I will never be able to understand how anyone can be so cruel as to buy another human and enslave them. I pray that all those souls have found peace in heaven because their life on earth was definitely hell.
It was viewed as the same as illegals working for low wages in todays times.
This is wonderful! Thank you so much for posting!
The song in the beginning is from the Tongan islands in the South Pacific. Thank you for sharing this interview. Thank God we have these for current generation and those following to listen and learn.
Not sure why close caption is needed, he speaks like a regular elderly southern gentlemen around here.
Elderly southern gentlemen need translation too.
Captions certainly are needed. I can't understand half of what he's saying. My grandfather was interviewed on videotape (now DVD) years ago, and his accent from the Old Country is so thick most people (inc. my wife) can't understand a lot of what he's saying, so I'm going through the videos and making subtitles for them. Subtitles for this video would be a helpful too.
It must be the low quality audio
Celestine IsSharkeishaNO I don't live in the south and I don't know what he's saying
Celestine IsSharkeishaNO I can't understand him because the kid in the background is screaming
#RestInPeaceToAllMyAncestors !!!! 💪🏾🙏🏾✌🏾💯
Love love love. May Jesus bring peace. The darkest days lay ahead. This is amazing. Everyone has passed away. Even the child's voices. God is the only way.
Jesus is all that matters. I hate slavery and don't agree with it. However, it's just that, history. I can honestly say I love all people. I disagree with alot of peoples behavior, but I love the person. Eternity is forever and hoarding any hate for any reason may get you a 1 way ticket to an eternal hell. Turn and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and don't let Satan drag you down about history or race. Peace be upon you
This is really something to actually hear the voice of a former slave. 😞🙏
I love how he talks :). I can hear my grandmother and grandfather in him :).
“One of em hit me I’d get a brick” lol sounds like my pop rest his soul 3/8/1926........3/13/2016 🙏🏾
I would have loved to have coffee and talk with him for hours. A Angel from heaven.
I AM AWED AND HUMBLED BY THE LACK OF BITTERNESS OR ANGER IN THIS FINE GENTLE MAN.
Because he knows he will get Justice one day in the afterlife.
Can we please reflect the dignity and humanity attached to these voices and title this "Hear formerly enslaved people speak." Thank you.
hope to meet you in the afterlife old-timer , hope you're doing better now
+sutter75 go to hell
+sutter75 , what did Holter do that impressed you so?
+sutter75 Amen
+sutter75 why wait? Do the world a favour.
+sutter75 🖕🏼
My father told me stories about carrying water from the spring before they had electricity. It's difficult to even imagine how people use to live.
And use the bathroom in the out- house or anywhere outdoors..also in buckets.
I have carried water from a spring when the well ran dry in the summer, drank water scooped from a bucket on the kitchen floor and used an outhouse before a bathroom was put in the house. It wasn't bad, it was just what you did. Was running water better? Of course it was an improvement but the rest of it wasn't evil, its just what you had to work with. And we were happy.
Tough mofos for sure 💪🏻 we gotta get back to being like this such an inspiration
Thank God For Our Roots Without Those who sacrificed their live for their freedom we wouldn’t have the rights we have today Even though we Still face Lots of hardships as African Americans it will never amount to the pain and suffering they went through they never had a chance for happiness so therefore we shall never forget what America did to them no matter how long ago it was forever grateful for theses brave Men and Women This gives me more inspiration To become Something great and receive my education because they never had the chance to experience life😭❤️
Hearing his voice made me cry. He sound just like my late grandfather 🥺.
My soul cry's for my people
My soul cries for them, too. The sad fact is that too many of our people just don't care.
My soul craves ham hocks and collard greens 😅
God bless youtube...this is AMAZING!
This is amazing! Thanks for posting!
Thank you for sharing. I would love to be able to go back in time and talk to this man. Very interesting.
Thanks for this piece of history.
What a beautiful man , God Bless
WOW!!! Thanks so much for posting. Peace & Blessings, Eshe ;)
Brilliant video! Its surprisingly hard to find such interesting material anywhere anymore.
we have come a long way since 1864 but we must keep pushing forward. The first shall be last.
+Will Rich hooray for dixie. keep it waylon...
Agree. Some of us just becoming Concious.
I can't possibly understand, I didnt live through it. I see what is happening now, but I also cant fully understand that either... as I am a white woman. I know this. I also know that shit got better and now it's getting worse..... no doubt in my mind.....
In tears 😭😭😭😭
Hurts my heart to see and hear what my people went thru in those terrible days. I pray that they all are resting in the arms of our lord and savior jesus christ....
I wish there was subtitles. Between the background noise and his strong southern accent, I could barely understand what he was saying, bless his heart
Amen, bless this Man heart.
This video should be taken as a learning tool, an understanding of history from the perspective of man who's lived through some of the darkest days of African American history, but yet again some people uses this type of platform for there own ignorance, maybe because they lack relevance in the real world and negative attention is better then no attention. very sad and almost comical.
We must all learn from the mistakes of the past so that we may never repeat them.
tracy caroline well put
Great comment.
tracy caroline How true.
I think the present is the darkest days because they have freedom and still choose to be slaves.
What is sad is you can hear how bad things really were but how in his mind in order to survive they had to find a positive in the whole thing. Also how he gave credit to the slave owner for turning out good crop but then he explained how it was the slaves actually doing it. Just goes to show how slavery was not only physical but also mental.
Thank you for posting
very interesting. thanks for the post.
This is unbelievably sad. To remember and realize that something like this really happened is what nightmares are made of. Only pure evil could do somethimg like this to other human beings. Hell is hot.
A fascinating & rare slice of history. He had a very pleasant voice that indicated a sweet temperament.
@thesecretstorm were did you get that music at the very beginning i would like to know
He sounds like a typical southern black man of this era, but with a crackly microphone. I just wish they could have interviewed him in some sort of sound booth or studio. It's still amazing to hear his story, though!
They lugged a 200 pound recording system to record this
@@kingsaintides7227, crazy to think about. Technology sure has come a long was, huh? If only we had progressed this much in humanitarian issues..
I love his voice.
HI there to the owner of this video can you please tell me what is the origin of the song that is sung in ghe beginning of this video.. it's sounds like our Polynesians songs of the Pacific I even hear Polynesian words in it but can't fully identify the culture the beat and the way it's sung is so so similar to our Polynesian songs
Does someone have a link to part 2? I can’t find it anywhere
I had to stop watching. He mentions that his master and mistresses name was "Moseley". Of course his name is Moseley also. How I wish that "they" would have at least let us keep our names.
J. Korbyn plenty changed to Freeman, plenty since changed to African last names
@@DRBloomber most descendants of people that were enslaved carry the enslavers' names. Such callous act to deny heritage...
Google User they just don’t understand how that has traumatized us
@@melicah2479 who is "they" and "us?"
@@mmbtraveler if you have to ask, you have the answers. YOU.... US.... WE
This guy is less angry about slavery than the people in the comment section.
This guy is being interviewed by a white man; and he lived as a slave. Put it into context, and you'll realize he has been trained to behave around 'white folk'.
Genevieve Words
You’re not mad at your mother Land?
Wow!!! to hear music in their original language. So Beautiful.
To hear the kids playing in the background, just makes this even more deep...
Does anyone know when this recording was made? Rest in peace, sir.
During the 1930's, the government hired historians to record the recollections of former slaves as many were getting over the hill. This is likely part of that project.
Thank you for watching.
Thanks for posting this.
Does anyone know the exact number of former salves that were interviewed? Why they were interviewed? and who owns the original recordings of this ?
Slavery is an institution over 5000 years old. Legal slavery was only made illegal in Saudi Arabia in the 1950s. Let us not demean people who were slaves by speaking of their lives so negatively. They lived worthy lives within the circumstances they were born. We are all born within circumstances beyond our control. Reading the Bhagavad Gita taught me this.
this is a good one
Thats an amazing recording but I wish he could say how he really felt about everything. He was careful and overly polite on purpose.
@Joe M He showed that he started out high-spirited--getting routinely beaten for hitting the white children, but he kept doing it anyway. He's still proud of holding his own during rough-and-tumble play instead of caving in to the unfair requirements of the slaveowners.
@DonkeyLips McGee They didn't think that way in those days. Statements that angered a white could result in someone else's beating, loss or punishment, or even several peoples.' Blacks never spoke out until the 1960s in fear of retribution. He would be concerned about his neighbors or even that some other old guy might not get an interview and the few dollars they would get for it.
@DonkeyLips McGee There's no way to really know, now is there? That's the insidious loss of silencing people on a wholesale basis like that, depriving them of the freedom of self-expression. We'll never have any idea what he might have said or what exactly did happen during slavery in his severely challenged life.
I really think that is his demeanor. I think he sounds polite because HE IS a polite, kind man. Doesn't sound like he has an angry bone in his body and I am glad of that, that he is at peace. Maybe it's as simple as that. It didn't appear that he felt threatened by this interview but what do I know anyway.
My Dad is deceased now but born and raised in Alabama. He was kind, polite and non racist. That's all he knew was to be that way. He despised people that were not that way and if they were from the south it embarrassed him. He grew up on a farm (30's and 40's) and he was not rich. He spoke like this man.
Ty so much for sharing this.
@oloseti I did a search for african drum sound effects and the music was listed as african drums.
This man was cheated and he didnt know, he didnt know that he was getting 1/3 of a fourth and the white man was getting 3/4 but he feels like the white man was good to him.Thats because he couldnt relize that it should have been the other way around now we should know now or do we.
When you are shackled, one is thankful to not be murdered.
Extremely Interesting
Please add sub titles I love to hear 100% thank you make more plz
Some of the most humble good people!!
And he's saying, Yes sir. Isn't that something. He's old enough to be probably the interviewer great grandfather.