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Identifier
20140207-15
Description
A transcript of an Ex-Slave Narrative interview conducted by Sheldon F. Gauthier for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers Project in the 1930s with Betty Powers. Betty Powers was born on Dr. Howard Perry's plantation in Harrison County, Texas about 25 miles from Marshall, Texas. Powers describes her life living on the plantation during and after the war. She recalls her life during the war living in cabins outside with her parents and siblings. One particular mention about how she and the others were not allowed at the big house, but at a smaller office. Powers mentions they would have carefully measured rations that had to last for the week. Powers also describes how life on the plantation was hard not because of the Master but because of his wife, who was overworking the people there. Powers recalls after the war, moving with her family to a small land and married her first husband, Boss Powers at thirteen then married again when Powers died. Her and Henry Ruffins married and had three children. The Ku Klux Klan is mentioned but Powers did not have issues with them, only what they did to others.
Archival Date
1937-09-30
Collection Name
Works Progress Administration, Federal Writers' Project. Fort Worth City Guide Draft and Records.
Collection Number
AR316-4-8
Original Format
Paper
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License