Primary Sources - The Surviving Recordings of the Slave Narratives Part 1 of 2 (With Subtitles)

I don't mean to offend anybody by mentioning this comparison but its something that I never understood. The Jews in Europe suffered genocide at the hands of the Nazi's for 12 years resulting in World War 2. After WW2 when the world caught wind of the inhumane actions took against the Jews during the Holocaust. The world came together and pathed a road towards the existence of Israel. So basically what I'm saying is, for the 12 years of suffering that the Jews endured they received a WHOLE COUNTRY. Africans were sold into slavery to American colonists around 1492 and this lasted until around 1865. So close to 400 years total and 89 of them years were under the Established United States of America. When the world found out about the evil treatment to slaves and the fact that they were not even considered as human beings, the world did nothing. When looking at these two evil historical events side by side, (The Jews killed during the Holocaust which last 12 years & a estimated 6 million Jews murdered) & then ( Africans sold into slavery, losing all human rights which lasted 400 years & a estimated 60 million + Africans Murdered) How can anybody say that the world's reaction & outcomes to the two separate evil travesties is fair or even in the same ballpark as fair! __(((___The Jews suffered 12 years, lost 6 million people and the outcome was that the world basically gave them a country (Israel)___)))__ - *__(((___Africans were sold into slavery & suffered for 400 years, lost an estimated 60 million + people and the world ignored this and from the USA they received the thirteenth amendment and was released into a society that was mainly prejudice & hated them.___)))__ How is this justice? & How come nobody ever talks about this Modern Day Comparison ? (American Intermediary) I think that maybe waving African American's home property tax for four hundred years would be a good start to reparations ! (Israel wouldn't exist without the west's intervention, TRUE or False ? Who beside Jews benefited from Israel becoming a country?) (African slaves in the USA were not even treated with the decency or even with recognition that they were human beings in the USA for 400 years. When slaves were freed in the USA they were told good luck. GOOD LUCK catching up to the rest of society financially, GOOD LUCK catching up with the rest of society community wise, GOOD LUCK finding employment with the very little education and skills that slave owners allowed to them while held in slavery, GOOD LUCK SURVIVING IN AMERICA.

All I kept thinking during the first interview was "of course she is going to say the government is treating her fine/well". She is probably terrified that he would report her for being ungrateful if she complained. It made me sad but I'm also grateful that these recordings were made.

They all lived well into their 100s. I think our food is poison.

As a Black American from NW Louisiana NE Texas area of the United States, My GGGG Grandmother born in 1890-1998 possessing over 300 acres of land that was never purchased from White people our family just owned it until they basically stole it. When I asked her about her life she said everyone was nice and there was no slavery or racism. I was happy that my family did not suffer in the racist oppression. However upon further considerations I realized my ancestors did not know any better. The life they lived is all they knew. For example, we would pick fruits and veggies from her garden but we always had to make sure to give the Mrs Betsy, the white woman down the road, the best ones before bringing them in the house. I once got a whoopin for coming straight into the house with apples. Black people purposely did nice things to white people to keep them from being mean to them and they did it second nature as if it was just good manners. My grandmother did not think that those were her fruits and she didn't owe any one anything. She felt guilty if Mrs Betsy open the door and stood on the porch. Mrs Betsy even rechecked the baskets to make sure she got the best ones. When we got back to my great grandmother's home she lectured us on why we should always smile and waive to the good white people. They may need you to do a favor for them. My uncles help put up a fence for Mrs Betsy and her Husband and they really felt proud to be used. It didn't dawn on me until later in life. Also Mrs Betsy was living on my Grandmother's land as if they owned it. We had to go inside when she had her family in town. Also, my GGGG reference d African saying " You can tell who was African because they spoke that shid ( meaning a different language) and they ate weird compared to them. She spoke of Africans as if they were foreigners back then and she knew her own grandparents who lived during slavery. She said we were Tangipo Indians not Africans. I thought she was just old and senile because it's a known fact all Black people came on boats from Africa. She went on to say her husband was African but she was Indian. Later, searching for my Great Grandfathers I found most of the men were killed. Her daughter born in 1906 said " The white people killed the men and replaced them with the Africans. " She said " Her Grandparents didn't want to move off their land so they became Black people instead of Indians". She said " the only people they call Indians are the ones who moved off their land and that Indians and Africans looked the same except they had different noses and hair." According to my ancestors the Indians really did not go extinct they killed the males and imported Africans and called them all Black people. My Mother was talking about the movie " Roots" and my Grandmother said " They were putting out movies like that to further fool people the same way they did with the Cowboys and Indian movies" With that being said, and seeing some of these recordings were from 1941, I can clearly read between the lines, see why they would want to record and I see the age disparity as well. Women were having children as early as 12. The people they were recording has parents 15 years older who they could've spoken too. I don't know what possessed me to ask my grandparents those questions but Im glad I did. Things are making more sense to me and I will pass it down to my offspring.

These are Oral.Histories. they are priceless first person narratives of life in the middle to late 1800's..They're simply recollections of the past. Utterly PRICELESS!

I've been binging on these narratives.

so many stories are gonna get forgotten, this period of time should be remembered

Bless the people involved in preserving this work and the people who were bold enough to put the stories on record during some very difficult times in this developing nation. 😢❤

I hope you all, who are watching and listening to these audio tapes/recordings understand just how ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS AND PRICELESS THEY ACTUALLY ARE!!! You are privy to actual ~living~ history!!! Yes!!! It's living history,, an actual sampling of life onto a format! These are NOT just recordings, they are the extract of actual sound vibrations, and so it qualifies as living recordings! Because recordings, unlike the written word, or paintings of people or places,, capture the complete and actual oral moment/event and not simply a ~WRITERS EXPERIENCE(S)~! Thank GOD intelligent men saw the vision of capturing sound for the world to benefit from~!~

My ancestor was one interviewed in the Slave Narrative Project - saved at the Library of Congress. I found him there and to my surprise - I was delighted to hear his voice - They all say they loved slavery time-seems the interviewers loved to hear that part -

A lot of people are amazed to hear these transcripts. I'd be too but, feelings of utter heartbreak is all I feel for lost culture , forced torment and the continued conforming of my people. These transcripts evoke so much emotion in me. To know no justice can exist amongst such evil is unfathomable.

The hard work that goes into this just for us thanks a thousand times

It amazes me how many people don't know or choose to bury this history. I refuse!!! They need to be heard and true history needs to be brought out in the open. I refuse to quiet their voices!!!! Thank you for posting New sub and sharing

Alot of these people were born into slavery and on these plantations. This was a way of life for them and clearly they simply didn't know any better than what was taught to them. Although I appreciate the accounts of these but few accounts of slavery but the FACT of the matter even though these people were still yet mistreated. Even with kind words and small gestures, they were yet slaves and lived under servitude to their oppressors. Nothing is ok about this.

‘Charlie’ repeating his long answers over and over is a huge trauma response.. at his old age He is still trying to make sense of it

Thank you very much for compiling these!

Thank you for your detailed and useful description. This is a great resource.

I guess no one has heard of Stockholm syndrome? Imagine being enslaved for hundreds of years…. These poor souls were afraid, and conditioned to not speak ill of their masters. The remnants can be seen till this very day. However- to be able to hear them speak. It stirs something inside of me. Bless them for enduring the unthinkable.

And when a "nice master" died....none of that property was split between his children and the slaves that talked about how benevolent he was..

Wow this is incredible, these recording's are priceless, they need to be secure and treated like they are the most important thing to our past.