19 - Black Experience in America, 18th-20th Century by Various

Discover a rich tapestry of voices in Black Experience in America, 18th-20th Century. This collection features a diverse range of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, drama, and speeches sourced from Project Gutenberg, highlighting works by and about African Americans. From the poignant epistolary exchanges of late 18th-century black Baptist preachers to the powerful testimonies of ex-slaves from the 1930s, this anthology offers a profound exploration of the African American journey through time. (Summary by BellonaTimes)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section nineteen of Black Experience in America eighteenth ju twentieth century.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Reading by Matt Perart, Black Experience
in America eighteenth to twentieth century by various section nineteen

(00:26):
ex Slave Pierce Cody by w PA USA.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
May eighth, nineteen thirty seven. Pierce Cody was the eldest
son of Albert and Dorothy Cody. His father was born
in Richmond, Virginia, his mother in Warren County. When the
emancipation Proclamation was signed. He the eldest child in a
large family, was in his early teens. This group lived

(00:52):
on the place owned by mister Bob. Cody. Family was
a group of ardent believers in the Hardshell Baptist faith.
So firm was their faith that a church of this
denomination was provided for the slaves, and each one required
to become a member. A white minister invariably preached the
then worn out doctrine of a slave's duty to his master,

(01:15):
the reward of faithfulness, and the usual admonition against stealing
the members of this church were required to fast on
one day of the week, the fast lasting all day
until seven in the evening. The small boys, both white
and colored, resenting the abstinence from food, usually secured a

(01:35):
reserve supply which was cacheted during the week and secretly
enjoyed on Fast day. Fish were plentiful in all the streams,
and they sometimes sneaked away to the river, and, after
enjoying the sport, cooked their catch on the backs of
the stream. Groups of ministers thirty to forty then traveled
from one plantation to another, spreading the gospel, and were

(01:59):
entertained as they traveled. On one occasion, the group arrived
at the Coty estate on Fast day. The boys, having
been on one of their secret fishing trips, had caught
so many perch that they were not able to consume
them on the banks, so had smuggled them to the kitchen,
coaxed the cook to promise to prepare them, and had
also sworn her to absolute secrecy regarding their origin. Although

(02:24):
the kitchen was not directly connected with the Big House,
the guests soon detected the aroma of fresh fish and
requested that they be allowed to partake of this delicacy.
When the boys as well as the servants heard this,
they became panicky, for they feared the wrath of the master.
But the catch was so heartily relished that instead of

(02:47):
the expected punishment, they were commended and allowed to fish
on the next day of fasting. As its characteristic of
many others, the platter's home was near the center of
a vast estate, and in this instance had a tall
lookout on the roof from which the watchmen might see
for miles around. The quarters were nearby, and the carefree

(03:10):
children who played in the large yard were closely watched,
as they were often stolen by speculators and later sold
at auctions far away. The land was divided into many fields,
each of which was used to cultivate a particular product.
Each field had its special crew and overseer. Cody's father

(03:31):
was one of the feeders, who arose at least two
hours before sunrise to feed the stock. A large number
of horses and more than two hundred head of cattle
had to be fed by sunrise, when they were to
be turned into the pastures or driven to the field
to begin the day's work after sunrise. His father's duty
as foreman for plowers began. Other workers were hoe hands,

(03:57):
additional foremen, cooks, weavers, spe seamstresses, tailors, shoemakers, et cetera.
As everything used was grown and made on the estate,
there was plenty of work for all, and in many
instances slaves learned trades which they liked and which furnished
a livelihood when they were set free. When he entered

(04:21):
his teens, Cody's first duties began as a plowhand who
broke new ground. As all of this land was to
be plowed, a lack of skill in making straight furrows
did not matter, so beginners were preferably used. Shortly after
he began plowing, he was made foreman of one of

(04:42):
the groups. Thus, encouraged by his master's faith in his
ability to do a man's work, he assumed a grown
up attitude under the stimulus of his new responsibilities, and
was married shortly after. At this time, marriages resulted from
brief courtships. After the consent of the girl was obtained,
it was necessary to seek permission from the master, whether

(05:04):
she lived on the same or an adjoining plantation. In
the latter case, the marriage rights were performed by her master.
The minister was not used in most instances, the ceremony
being read from a testament by the owner of the bride.
Marriages were nearly always performed out of doors in the

(05:26):
late afternoon. The bride's wedding dress was fashioned of cloth
made on the plantation from a pattern of her own
Designing attendants at marriages were rare. After the ceremony, the
guests danced far into the night by music from the
fiddle and banjo. Refreshments consisting of ginger cakes, barbecue, et
cetera were served. Such a couple belonging to two different

(05:50):
masters did not keep house. The husband was allowed to
visit his wife on Wednesday night and Saturday, when he
might remain through Sunday. All marriage unions were permanent, and
a barren wife was considered the only real cause for separation.
Church services for this group were held jointly with white members,

(06:12):
the two audiences being separated by a partition. Gradually, the
colored members became dissatisfied with this type of service and
withdrew to form a separate church. The desire for independence
and worship must necessarily have been strong to endure the
inconveniences of the brush arbor churches that they resorted to.

(06:35):
As a beginning, Several trees were felled and the brush
and forked branches separated. Four heavy branches with forks formed
the framework. Straight poles were laid across these to form
a crude imitation of beams and the other framework of
a building. The top and sides were formed of brush,
which was thickly placed so that it formed a solid wall.

(07:00):
A whole left in one side formed a doorway, from
which beaten paths extended in all directions. Seats made from
slabs obtained at local sawmills completed the furnishing. In inclement weather,
it was not possible to conduct services here, but occasionally
showers came in the midst of the service, and the

(07:22):
audience calmly hoisted umbrellas or papers, and with such scant protection,
the worship continued. Sunday afternoons were quietly spent, visiting, being
the only means of recreation. One of the favorites stay
at home pastimes was the inspection of heads. The peddiculous
condition made frequent treatment necessary for comfort. The young white

(07:47):
men liked to visit the quarters and had the slaves
searched their heads they would stretch full length upon the
cabin floors and rest their heads upon a pillow. Usually
they offered a gift of some sort if many of
the tiny parasites were destroyed, so the clever picker who
found a barren head simply reached into his own and

(08:09):
produced the goodly number there existed on this plantation. An
antagonistic feeling toward children born of slave parents with a
beautiful suit of hair, and this type of hair was
kept cropped very short. Gossip stealing was not tolerated. No
one was ever encouraged to tattle on one another. Locks

(08:32):
were never used on any of the cabin doors or
on the smokehouse. Food was there in abundance, and each
person was free to replenish his supply as necessary. Money
was more or less a novelty, as it was only
given in one cent pieces at Christmas time. As food, clothing,
and shoulder were furnished, the absence was not particularly painful.

(08:57):
Connected with nearly every home were those persons who lived
in the woods in preference to doing the labor necessary
to remain at their home. Each usually had a scythe
and a bulldog for protection. As food became scarce, they
sneaked to the quarters in the still of the night
and coaxed some friend to get food for them from
the smoke house. Their supply obtained, they would leave again.

(09:21):
This was not considered stealing. Medical care was also free.
Excellent physicians were maintained. It was not considered necessary to
call a position until home remedies, usually teas made of roots,
had had no effect. Women and childbirth were cared for
by grannites. Old women whose knowledge was broad by experience,

(09:44):
acted as practical nurses. Several cooks were regularly maintained. Some
cooked for the men who had no families, others for
the members of the Big House and guests. The menus
buried little from day to day, a diet of bread
called shortening bread. Vegetables and smoked meat were usually consumed,

(10:07):
buttermilk was always plentiful. On Sundays, seconds flour were added
to the list, and butter accompanied this. Chicken, fresh meat,
et cetera. Were holiday items and were seldom enjoyed at
any other time. Not only were the slaves required to work,
but the young men of the Big House also had

(10:29):
their duties. In the summer, they went fishing. While this
sport was enjoyed. It was done on an extremely large
scale in order that everyone should have an adequate supply
of fish. The streams abounded in all kinds of fish,
and nuts were used to obtain large quantities necessary in winter.

(10:49):
Hunting was engaged in for this same purpose. Rabbits, squirrels,
et cetera were the usual game, but in addition, the
trapping of wild hogs was frequently indulged. In the woods
contained many of these animals, which were exceptionally vicious. The hunters, however,
trapped them in much the same way that rabbits are
now caught without injury to the flesh. Deer were also

(11:12):
plentiful and venison enjoyed during its season. Hornet snakes were
the greatest impediments to more abundant hunting. Knowledge of the
war was kept from the slaves until long after its beginning.
Most of them had no idea what war meant, in
any news that might have been spread fell on deaf ears. Gradually,

(11:34):
this knowledge was imparted by Yankee peddlers who came to
the plantation to sell bed ticking, et cetera. When the
master discovered how this information was being given out, these
peddlers were forbidden to go near the quarters. The role
was strictly enforced. Eventually, the Confederate soldiers on their way
to and from camp began to stop at the house.

(11:56):
Food and everything available was given to them if mister
Cody's sons were killed in battle. As the Northern soldiers
did not come near the home, the loss of property
was practically negligible. When the emancipation Proclamation was signed, the
slaves were called to the Big House in a group
to receive the news that they were free. Both old

(12:18):
and young danced and cheered when this information was given out.
Many of the families remained there for a year or
two until they were able to find desirable locations elsewhere.
Cody attributes his ability to reach a ripe old age
to the excellent care he took of himself in his youth.
He has used tobacco since he was a small boy,

(12:41):
and does not feel that it affects his health. Distilled
liquor was plentiful in his young days, and he always drank,
but never to an excess.

Speaker 1 (12:53):
End of Section nineteen