Black Slaves Admit White Masters were “Awful Good To Us”
“People have the wrong idea of the slave days. We were treated good,” said former slave, Simon Philips (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Page 313).
This is just one of many very positive testimonies given by former slaves in another little known set of documents, Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project (1938-1938). I highly recommend them to anyone interested in learning about what slavery was really like:
“Them was good old days. Us would be lucky to have ‘em back again.”
–Jasper Battle, Former Slave (Georgia Narratives, Volume 1, Page 71)
“He didn’t call us slaves. He called us servants. He didn’t want none of his negros whipped.”
–William Baltimore, Former Slave (Arkansas Narratives, Volume 2, Part 1, Page 97)
“Our masters were awful good to us. They didn’t treat us like we were slaves.”
–Julia Haney, Former Slave (Arkansas Narratives, Volume 2, Part 3, Page 149)
“He was sure good to his slaves. He treated them as human beings.”
–Laura Ramsey Parker, Former Slave (Tennessee Narratives, Volume 15, Page 62)
“We fare good in that day in time. Everybody ‘round there fare good. My master always was good to his slaves…If I could go back, I would go back to slavery and stay with my white folks.”
–Sylvia Cannon, Former Slave (South Carolina Narratives, Volume 14, Page 189-194)
“Master Tom was always good to us and he taught us religion. He was the best man I ever knew.”
–George Selman, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 4, Page 15)
“I remember the days of slavery as happy ones.”
–Adeline, Former Slave (Arkansas Narratives, Volume 2, Part 1, Page 14)
“Old Master Stone was a good man to us colored folks. We loved him.”
–William M Quinn, Former Slave (Indiana Narratives, Volume 1, Page 155)
“One day a white man came riding through the county and told us we was free. Honey, did you hear that? Why, we always had been free.”
–Nancy East, Former Slave (Ohio Narratives, Volume 12, Page 36)
“The poor white people were worse off than the slaves.”
–James V Dean, Former Slave (Maryland Narratives, Volume 1, Page 9)
“I lived mighty fine in them days…Oh, them was happy days, I tell you.”
–Elizabeth Thomas, Former Slave (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Page 380)
“I sometimes wish for the old days.”
–Frankie Goole, Former Slave (Tennessee Narratives, Volume 15, Page 23)
“I sure would rather have slavery days back if I could have my same masters, ‘cause I never had no hard time then like I went through after they give us freedom.”
–Georgia Baker, Former Slave (Georgia Narratives, Volume 1, Page 51)
“No, mam. It wasn’t so bad with us. The white folks were good to us…Massa Jess was the best white friend a negro ever had.”
–Oliver Bell, Former Slave (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Pages 27-32)
“Set the slaves free and us negros have a hard time ever since.”
–John C Brown, Former Slave (South Carolina Narratives, Volume 14, Page 128)
“I cried a year to go back. It was a dear place to me.”
–Charles Anderson, Former Slave (Arkansas Narratives, Volume 2, Part 1, Page 47)
“The old days were really the good times. How I wish I could go back to the old days when we lived at the Johnson’s landing on the river…But the old days? They’re gone.”
–Charity Anderson, Former Slave (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Page 14)
“We didn’t have any hard times. Our owners were good to us.”
–Mary Brown, Former Slave (South Carolina Narratives, Volume 14, Page 131)
“I sure was born in slavery times, and I wish to God I could get now what I used to have then—cuz’ then was good times for the black folks. These free negros don’t know what it is to be taken care of. We had plenty to eat and plenty to wear, and that’s more than what folks got now…Old Massa was good to all his negros.”
–Tildy Collins, Former Slave (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Page 84)
“My memories of slave days was my easiest days. Slavery was pleasant for me.”
–William Harrison, Former Slave (Arkansas Narratives, Volume 2, Part 3, Page 185)
“The treatment couldn’t have been better. Master was the best and kindest fellow that ever lived. He is in Heaven, for sure.”
–Penny Thompson, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 4, Page 103)
“I wasn’t so glad when freedom came. I was fairing pretty well in the kitchen. I didn’t think I’d ever see better times, and I haven’t.”
–Aleck Trimble Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 4, Page 109)
“I was born a slave, but I ain’t never been a slave…all in all, white folks, then was de really happy days for us negros. Course, we didn’t have the advantages that we have now, but there was something back then that we ain’t got now, and thats security. Yussah, we had somebody to go to when we were in trouble. We had a Massa that would fight for us and help us. . . I sometimes wish I could be back on the old place. I can see the cool-house now packed with fresh butter and milk and cream. I can see the spring down amongst the willows and the water a trickling down between little rocks…Nawsuh, just like I told you at first—I was born a slave, but I ain’t never been one. I’ve been a worker for good people. You wouldn’t calls that being a slave would you, white folks?”
–Simon Philips, Former Slave (Alabama Narratives, Volume 1, Page 325)
“My master was a preacher and a good man. None of the slaves ever had better white folks than we had. We had good beds and good food. They taught us to read and write too.”
—John Ellis, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 21)
“I was born in slavery and I think them days was better for the negros than the days we see now. One thing was, I never was cold and hungry when my old master lived, and I have been plenty hungry and cold a lot of times since he’s been gone. But sometimes I think master Goodman was the best man God made in a long time.”
—Andrew Goodman, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 74)
“Everybody was happy on massa’s place until the war began.”
—Paulina Grice, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 98)
“What I want to say is that we didn’t have no ideas about running and escaping. We was happy.”
—Felix Haywood, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 132)
“Master turner was the best man he could be and took good care of us, for sure. He treated us like humans.”
–Scott Hooper, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 157)
“My master didn’t have no overseer. He said his slaves had to be treated right. He never allowed none of his slaves to be sold away from their folks. I never saw any slaves in chains.”
–Alice Houston, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 161)
“All the white folks at Chirino was good to their negros…I mourned whan we were set free…I sure was sorry when we were set free.”
–Lizzie Hughes, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 166-168)
“The negros had heap better times than now. Now we work all the time and can’t get nothing. Saturday nights, we would have parties and dance.”
—Wash Ingrim, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 179)
“We didn’t have a hard time. Never even Knew a hard time. That old massa, he was what you would call a good man.”
—Pauline Johnson, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2, Page 225)
“Master Davis was powerful good to me.”
–William M Adams, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 9)
“I seems to think us have more freedom when us slaves.”
–Armstead Barrett, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 47)
“I had a good massa. Bless his soul.”
–Harriet Marrett, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 50)
“He had about 500 slaves…I tell you that Master Williams was the greatest man who ever walked this earth. That’s the truth…When emancipation came, master got on the big block and said we were as free as him. If we wanted to stat, he’d pay us. All the negros cheered and said they wanted to stay…Lord, times ain’t like they were in slavery days.”
–Ellen Betts, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 75-83)
“Old Massa was good and gave us plenty of food.”
–Madison Bruin, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 169)
“He had respect for the slaves’ feelings and didn’t treat them like dumb brutes. He allowed them more privileges than any other slaveholder around here. He was one of the best men I’ve ever known in my whole life.”
–Thomas Cole, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 226)
“Master John was one white man that sure took care of his negros.”
–Andrew Columbus, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 246)
“Massa and misses were very good white folks and was good to the black folks.”
–Elige Davidson, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 298)
“Most of the slaves I knew were happy…Lots of them didn’t care about being free.”
–Nelson Denson, Former Slave (Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 1, Page 306)
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