Finding Aids to Collections Organized by Topic in the Archive of Folk Culture

Recordings of Slave Narratives and Related Materials
in the Archive of Folk Culture

For more information about these collections and links to the audio files see the American Memory presentation: Voices from the Days of Slavery: Former Slaves Tell Their Stories.

AFS 341 A   Monolog on religious experiences.  Spoken by Wallace Quarterman.  Frederica, Georgia.  Recorded by Alan Lomax, Zora Neal Hurston, and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle, June 1935.  (LWO 4872 reel 25)

AFS 342 A & B  Monolog on his conversion, name and age, emancipation, and post-bellum experiences. Spoken by Wallace Quarterman.  Frederica, Georgia.  Recorded by Alan Lomax, Zora Neal Hurston, and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle, June 1935.  (LWO 4872 reel 25)

AFS 3975 A1   Slavery days.  Spoken by Uncle Billy McCrea.  Recorded at Jasper, Texas, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940. (LWO 4872 reel 264)

AFS  3992 A  Monolog.  Spoken by Uncle Bob Ledbetter.  Recorded at Oil City, Louisiana, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940.  (LWO 4872 reel 267)

AFS 4011 A1  Monolog on plantation experiences.  Spoke by Irene Williams.  Recorded at Rome, Mississippi, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940.  (LWO 4872 reel 270)

AFS 4016 A1   Monolog.  Spoken by Irene Williams.  Recorded at Rome, Mississippi, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940.  (LWO 4872 reel 270)

AFS 4033 B3   Monolog on white marsters.  Spoken by Joe McDonald.  Recorded at Livingston, Alabama, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940.  (LWO 4872 reel 272)

AFS 4034 A3  Monolog on early days.  Spoken by Joe McDonald.  Recorded at Livingston, Alabama, by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax, 1940.  (LWO 4872 reel 272)

AFS  4777 A & B, 4778 A & B   Talking with A colored fellow about Jefferson Davis.  Recorded in Mississippi, by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax, 1942.  (LWO 4872 reel 331)

AFS  4779 A & B   Same.  (LWO 4872 reels 331-332)

AFS  5091 A   Talking about slavery days, etc.  Spoken by Isom Moseley, age 85.  Recorded at Gee's Bend, Alabama, by Robert Sonkin, 1941.  (LWO 4872 reel 364)

AFS 5091 B1  Talking about slavery days, etc.  Spoken by Alice Gaston, age 88.  Recorded at Gee's Bend, Alabama, by Robert Sonkin, 1941.  (LWO 4872 reel 364)

AFS 5496 A & B   Interview with Mrs. Laura Smalley.  Discusses slavery days, whipping slaves, recollections of Civil War. Recorded at Hempstead, Texas, by John Henry Faulk, 1941.  (LWO 4872 reel 380)

AFS 5497 B2   Interview with Mrs. Laura Smalley.  Discusses slave-breeding.  Recorded at Hempstead, Texas, by John Henry Faulk, 1941.  (LWO 4872 reel 380)

AFS  5498 B2  Interview with Mrs. Laura Smalley.  Working on a Brazos Bottom plantation.  Recorded at Hempstead, Texas, by John Henry Faulk, 1941.  (LWO 4872 reel 380)

AFS 5499 A & B, 5500 A & B   Interview with Aunt Harriet Smith.  Concerning slavery and Civil War days.  Recorded at Hempstead, Texas, by John Henry Faulk, 1941. (LWO 4872 reel 381)

AFS 8245 B  Narrative by Mrs. Williams, Norfolk ex-slave.  Recorded by Roscoe Lewis of Hampton Institute, ca. 1937-1940.  (LWO 5111 reel 98)

AFS  8256 A   Story of Cox's Snow.  Spoken by Mrs. Annie Williams, Petersburg ex-slave.  Recorded by Roscoe Lewis of Hampton Institute, ca. 1937-1940.  (LWO 5111 reel 99)

AFS 8272 A & B    Names and ages.  Spoken by Petersburg, Virginia ex-slaves.  Recorded by Roscoe Lewis of Hampton Institute, ca. 1937-1940.  (LWO 5111 reel 100)

AFS 8301 A-B    Personal story.  Spoken by Mrs. Annie Williams.  Recorded by Roscoe Lewis of Hampton Institute, ca. 1937-1940.  (LWO 5111 reel 102)

AFS 9990 A    Fountain Hughes, age 101, born in Charlottesville, Virginia, talks about family and slave boyhood.  Recorded June 11, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland, by Hermond Norwood.  (LWO 5111 reels 283-7, -8)

AFS 17, 476  Mrs. Celia Black, 115 year old ex-slave, interviewed by Elmer Sparks at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home, Tyler, Texas, October 11, 1974.  Gift  of Elmer Sparks.  (LWO 8322)

AFS 17,510   Interview with Charlie Smith, 130 year old African-born ex-slave and  former cowboy, logger, etc.  Conducted by Elmer Sparks in Bartow,  Florida, March 17, 1975.  Gift of Elmer Sparks. (LWO 8478