Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XI, North Carolina Narratives, Part 2

In this volume listeners hear the raw, first‑hand recollections of enslaved people who lived and worked in Wilmington, North Carolina, during the mid‑nineteenth century. The interview, conducted in 1937 by a federal writer, preserves the cadence and dialect of the speaker as he describes daily life on a large plantation yard, the skilled brick‑laying and plaster work that built the city, and the complex relationships between enslaved families and their owners. The narrative offers a vivid picture of labor, faith, and community that shaped the town’s early growth.

Beyond the details of construction, the storyteller shares memories of the Civil War, the arrival of Union troops, and the shifting opportunities for freedom that followed. Listeners also hear personal anecdotes about family origins, mixed heritage, and the education and religious practices that sustained the enslaved community. The recording invites you to step into a world where ordinary chores, church gatherings, and whispered conversations become a powerful testament to resilience.