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

The volume gathers a handful of Virginia’s former enslaved voices, recorded by the Federal Writers’ Project in the 1930s. Each interview is presented almost as it was spoken—spelling, punctuation and all—so listeners hear the cadence, humor, and pain of the original narrators. The raw, unvarnished language invites you into a personal archive that feels like sitting across a kitchen table while a story is being told.

These accounts cover everyday chores, family celebrations, and moments of fierce resistance, from a woman recalling Nat Turner’s shockwaves to a man describing an encounter with John Brown at Harpers Ferry. They also reveal how enslaved people navigated marriage, work, and community under the oppressive gaze of owners and overseers. Together, the narratives paint a vivid, human portrait of Virginia’s slave experience, offering insight and empathy for anyone curious about this foundational but often overlooked part of American history.