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- Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XII, Ohio Narratives
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Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XII, Ohio Narratives
by United States. Work Projects Administration
Chapters
35 totalTYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936-1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
ILLUSTRATIONS
Ruth Thompson, Interviewing Graff, Editing Ex-Slave Interview Cincinnati CHARLES H. ANDERSON 3122 Fredonia St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Story and Photo by Frank M. Smith Ex-Slaves Mahoning County, District #5 Youngstown, Ohio The Story of MRS. MELISSA (LOWE) BARDEN, Youngstown, Ohio.
Ohio Guide Ex-Slave Stories Aug 15, 1937 SUSAN BLEDSOE 462-12th St. S.E., Canton, Ohio
Story and Photo by Frank Smith Topic: Ex-slaves Mahoning County, District #5 Youngstown, Ohio The Story of MRS. PHOEBE BOST, of Youngstown, Ohio.
WPA in Ohio By Albert I Dugan [TR: also reported as Dugen] Jun 9, 1937 Topic: Ex-slaves Muskingum County, District #2 BEN BROWN Ex-slave, 100 years Keen St., Zanesville, Ohio
James Immel, Reporter Folklore Washington County, District Three SARAH WOODS BURKE Aged 85
Hallie Miller, Reporter Audrey Meighen, Author-Editor Folklore: Ex-slaves Gellia County, District 3 JAMES CAMPBELL Age 86
WPA in Ohio Federal Writers' Project Topic: Ex-Slavery Jefferson Co, District #2 FLEMING CLARK Ex-Slave, 74+ in years
Description
These recordings, gathered by the Federal Writers’ Project in the late 1930s, bring together the voices of former enslaved people who settled in Ohio after emancipation. The interviews are presented verbatim, preserving the cadence, pauses, and occasional slips that make each testimony feel like a conversation across time. Accompanying photographs add visual texture, showing the interviewees in the homes and communities they built.
One striking account comes from Charles H. Anderson, born into bondage in Richmond, Virginia, in 1845. He recounts his childhood in the Woodson household, the trust placed in him to handle money, and the simple pleasures of candy and well‑made clothes. Later, he describes his marriage to Helen, the loss of his wife, and the modest home where he now lives with his children, offering a vivid portrait of resilience and everyday life.
Listening to these narratives provides an intimate glimpse into a period rarely heard directly from those who lived it. The stories blend personal memory with broader social history, inviting listeners to hear the humanity behind the headlines of slavery and its aftermath.
Collections
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Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (191K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Andrea Ball and PG Distributed Proofreaders. Produced from images provided by the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division.
Release date
2004-08-18
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
About the author
United States. Work Projects Administration
Born during the Great Depression, this New Deal agency became one of the most ambitious public-work efforts in U.S. history, putting millions of people to work while reshaping roads, parks, schools, and cultural life across the country. Its story offers a vivid look at how government relief, labor, and the arts came together in a moment of national crisis.
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