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Voices from Slavery: 100 Authentic Slave Narratives
Vivid, first-person accounts of what it was like to be a slave in the antebellum South recounted in simple, often poignant language.
Stark descriptions of the horrors of slave auctions, and many other unforgettable details of slave life. Accompanied by 32 compelling photographs and a new preface by the editor.
Stark descriptions of the horrors of slave auctions, and many other unforgettable details of slave life. Accompanied by 32 compelling photographs and a new preface by the editor.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 6, 2012
A collection of interviews aquired during the Works Progress Admin. during the Great Depression. Government officials realized the last folks remaining who lived in slavery were dying off so they sent historians out to collect their recollections. If you want a true understanding of slavery this is an absolute must. Forget history books; read straight from the source.
March 14, 2013
I learned so much reading these stories. If you had asked me why slavery was wrong, I would have said it is wrong to own another person. What I realized reading this book is that, subconsciously, it was the cruelty that really drove my view of slavery. What this book does is force you to reconsider slavery in light of some stories from former slaves who seem to genuinely love the old masters and wish they could go back. Is slavery still abhorrent without the cruelty? In short, this book deepened my thinking about why I actually abhor slavery. Separately, the narratives were great history and full of humanity. The variety of experiences and personalities was rich. Other than the stories of cruelty (yes those are in here too) the thing that made me the most angry was that we didn't really try to gather these accounts until the former slaves were so old. This means we missed the accounts of many former slaves who were older slaves rather than children or young adults. I suspect their perspective would have been different. Over all an excellent compilation of narratives and I recommend this book to anyone.
March 4, 2019
How do you review this book? They are transcripts of interviews given from people that lived to tell their tale of slavery. They are heartbreaking, traumatizing, gruesome, and uplifting for the fact that they survived.
January 10, 2024
This is an excellent collection of interviews with formerly enslaved people recounting their experiences under chattel slavery. Extremely important primary sources that should be read by every American.
Note: These are just 100 of the 2,000 interviews conducted by interviewers from the Federal Writer’s Project (part of the WPA) in the 1930s. If you’d like to read more, the Library of Congress has most uploaded on their website. There’s even actual recordings you can listen to, as well as pictures and the typed up interviews. So many different and unique stories of men, women, and children living in bondage.
Note: These are just 100 of the 2,000 interviews conducted by interviewers from the Federal Writer’s Project (part of the WPA) in the 1930s. If you’d like to read more, the Library of Congress has most uploaded on their website. There’s even actual recordings you can listen to, as well as pictures and the typed up interviews. So many different and unique stories of men, women, and children living in bondage.
November 3, 2015
An important book, despite its flaws, which are outlined carefully in the introduction and afterwards. It took me a long time to get through this book and that I think is partially the point. I didn’t want to jam a bunch of voices together in my head and lose their distinctiveness. So mostly I would read one autobiographical passage a night before bed.
It’s a slice of lost history and significant in the range of tales presented - some five hundred words here or there that are all that remain of a person’s life. Voices range from thick dialect to polished.
One of the biggest flaws is that the majority of WPA interviewers were white, meaning that conscious and unconscious bias no doubt weighs the collection toward “Times weren’t so bad” but there are still some amazing, shocking stories. I didn’t know that Native Americans, for example, owned African-American slaves. One interviewee ran with the Klu Klux! Several served as Confederate soldiers, usually unwillingly or as battlefield valets.
Poor elders being interviewed during the height of the depression, there are many lyrical passages recalling food and plenty.
It’s a slice of lost history and significant in the range of tales presented - some five hundred words here or there that are all that remain of a person’s life. Voices range from thick dialect to polished.
One of the biggest flaws is that the majority of WPA interviewers were white, meaning that conscious and unconscious bias no doubt weighs the collection toward “Times weren’t so bad” but there are still some amazing, shocking stories. I didn’t know that Native Americans, for example, owned African-American slaves. One interviewee ran with the Klu Klux! Several served as Confederate soldiers, usually unwillingly or as battlefield valets.
Poor elders being interviewed during the height of the depression, there are many lyrical passages recalling food and plenty.
June 15, 2012
I read the slave narratives to prepare for a church service about Juneteenth. The voices are haunting, heart-breaking, and reflect the strength of African Americans who were held in bondage. I learned a lot about my heritage, and I'm very glad I read it.
July 2, 2018
Excellent. Riveting history. Heartbreaking.
January 16, 2024
First-hand accounts of slavery. It's an emotional journey, as you can imagine. It's also fascinating hearing so many voices directly out of the 1920s (when most of the people interviewed were in their 80's and 90's). What snuck up on me was the way this book placed me in relationship with the people whose stories I was hearing, directly from them, across such a span of time. I cried more than once. I laughed more than once. This was a great read, and a deep education. But more importantly, I walked away from it feeling like I had 100 old friends who lived through slavery. Which does something to the way I understand the world.
February 9, 2024
THOUGHTFUL
Stories from 100 different individuals held in the American South. Some felt well treated, some didn't; all welcomed freedom.
Was amazed at the number of people held by the Choctaw nation.
Though there were narratives written soon after Lee surrendered, these were written much, much later. The age of the interviewees seems to vary from the 80's to over 100.
Stories from 100 different individuals held in the American South. Some felt well treated, some didn't; all welcomed freedom.
Was amazed at the number of people held by the Choctaw nation.
Though there were narratives written soon after Lee surrendered, these were written much, much later. The age of the interviewees seems to vary from the 80's to over 100.
October 7, 2008
Very interesting, enlightening and entertaining.
May 19, 2014
Loved it. The real thing.
July 30, 2013
amazeeeeng.
January 6, 2015
Excellent compilation of the 2000+ WPA interviews of former slaves, done in the 1930's
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May 25, 2017I didn't finish all the stories, a few though.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews