Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume V, Indiana Narratives

This volume brings together a dozen candid interviews recorded in Indiana during the late‑1930s, each spoken by men and women who lived through the institution of slavery and its aftermath. Compiled by the Federal Writers’ Project, the testimonies are presented alongside period photographs, allowing listeners to hear the voices of former slaves while visualizing the people and places they describe. The collection offers a rare, ground‑level view of daily life on plantations, the hardships of forced migration, and the complex emotions that accompanied emancipation.

Among the stories is that of George W. Arnold, born in 1861 on a Tennessee farm, who recalls the roar of a Civil War cannon overhead and his mother’s attempts to calm frightened children. His reflections reveal both moments of unexpected contentment under a harsh master and the painful reality of families torn apart when freedom arrived. Listening to these narratives provides an intimate glimpse into a forgotten chapter of American history, preserving personal memories that textbooks often overlook.