Norman R Yetman Slavery

Slavery is a period in the United States history that is difficult to accept but contributed to the economic growth and wealth of the early United States. It is difficult to image the pain and suffering the slaves endured during these times, and between 1936-1938 the WPA created a collection of slave narratives by interviewing former slaves of the 19th century from seventeen states. The narrative of Adeline Marshall will demonstrate the determination and ability to withstand unimaginable humiliation, pain and personal suffering. The author, Norman R. Yetman of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) created these narratives in 1936-1938 to document the experiences of bondage of more than 2,000 former slaves. Yetman wanted to document their

Adeline does not mention where she worked as a slave, but she probably worked in a cotton field since cotton grew 600% in Texas during those times. She wore rags on her feet and could not wear shoes from working the fields for so many years and wearing red russet shoes. Red russet shoes are shoes made from rawhide and were very stiff and hurt to wear. During the interview, she said, “"Cap’n he a bad man, and he drivers hard, too, all de time whippin’ and stroppin’ de niggers to make dem work harder.” It’s difficult to understand the pain and suffering she went through. Apparently, Capt. Brevard was very hard on his slaves and did not mind using force to discipline his slaves. Slave owners had to be careful not to abuse their slaves and affect production or cause an uprising. Young slaves were sent to the fields to work as soon as they could walk. The slave drivers used bull whips to keep the slaves working but the young slaves where whipped with a branch called a “switch”. Difficult slaves were placed in the stocks for several days without food or water. This punishment left them near death but sometimes slaves died and they buried them in the back of the property without any burial services. Capt. Brevard treated his slaves worse than animals and more like sub-humans. Adeline’s interview sums up the misery these slaves endured and she said it like this, ”De poor

It’s difficult to understand why someone would stay and work on the same farm they were treated so badly? Perhaps they had grown accustomed to the abuse and freedom was just another form of cruelty to the enslaved people because they had nothing to survive with. Adeline stayed behind until she left to work for Mr. Jack Adams, where she met her future Husband. After Mr. Adams past away, Adeline and her husband moved to Houston Texas before the 1900s storm. She remembered the storm that came through Galveston and Houston. Adeline did not like Houston, she called it a “sinful town” and that people only loved themselves and not like the bible says, “Love they neighbor”. She is religious and looked to God for comfort and strength. Her Children and husband passed away and she was once again left alone with no family.

Slavery in Texas created wealth and a strong economy for many slave owning farmers in the cotton business. Adeline entered this word alone and left the world alone. She was sold as a baby slave and found her way to Texas. She endured a long and difficult life as a slave and as free woman. She created her own family and started a life in Houston, but in the end, she’s the only one left alive of her family and prayed to God to take her away from this lonely