.	~ ~ ~ ‚~
	. 2~5QO63	. .
Oklahoma Writerst Project	‚	Ex—Slav*	30
	~	BETTY FOREMAN CEB~SSI~R
		   Age 94 years
		 Okla)aozaa City, Okia.



	I w~~s bDrfl July 11, 1843 In Raleigh, L C. My mot,her was naiaed Melinda Manley, the slave of GovernorManley of North Carolina, and. i~y father was named. Arnold. Foreman, slave of Bob and. Jobn Poreman, two yoimg Tuasters. They come over from Arkansas to visit my ix~ster and. my pappy and. matnn~‘ met and. got married., ~ thoii~h my pappy only seen ~y marnn~y in the si~mmer when his masters come to visit our master and. d.ey took h1xr~ rlg,ht back. I had. three sisters and two brothers and. none of dem was my whole brothers arid sisters. I stayed in the Big Eousé all the tiire, but ny sisters and. brothers was gived. to the mat g sons and. daiighte rs whey dey go t married. and dey was told. to send. back for some more when dem died. I di&ntt never stay with my mammy doing of slavery. I stayed in the . Big Rouse • I slept under the dining room table with three other darkies. The hot was well carpeted.. Dont t rexnembah my grandn~iainmy and. grand.pappy, but my n~.ster was they master.

	. I • wait ed. on the table ‚ kept file s n my mis tress and • went for the mail. Never made no money, but dey did. give the slaves money at Christmas time. I never had over two dresses. One was calico and one. gingh~un. I bad such Wunde relothes as dey wore then.

	Master Manley and Mistress had six sons an~ ~ d.arters. Dey raised. dem all till dey was grown too. Dey lived in a great big house tcross from the mans ion ‚ right . in . town before Master was ~ ~Le cted Governor ‚ den dey all moved. in dat mansion. .

	Plantation. folks had. barbecties arid “lay crop feasts“ and. invited the city darkies out • When I first cous here I could.n ~ t understand. the fo).ks here, tcause dey didntt pitt work on Easter Monday. That is sonm da~