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

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.