Slave Narratives

This collection of slave narratives had its beginning in the second year of the former Federal Writers' Project (now the Writers' Program), 1936, when several state Writers' Projects, notably those of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, recorded interviews with ex-slaves residing in those states. On April 22, 1937, a standard questionnaire for field workers drawn up by John A. Lomax, then National Advisor on Folklore and Folkways for the Federal Writers' Project¹, was issued from Washington as "Supplementary Instructions #9-E to The American Guide Manual" (appended below). Also associated with the direction and criticism of the work in the Washington office of the Federal Writers' Project were Henry G. Alsberg, Director; George Cronyn, Associate Director; Sterling A. Brown, Editor on Negro Affairs; Mary Lloyd, Editor; and B.A. Botkin, Folklore Editor succeeding Mr. Lomax.²  Read More

• Introduction by B. A. Botkin

• Selected Records, Bearing on the History of the Slave Narratives

• Letters to States regarding project

• Negro Dialect Suggestions

• Supplemental Instructions

  • Questions

  • Sample Interview, Lula Flannigan

• Memorandum of State, County or City Laws

• Stories told in the Language of the Ex-Slaves

  • Questionable Words

• Modification of Instructions

  • General Suggestions

  • Suggestions To Interviewers

• Arkansas

• Florida

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Kansas

• Kentucky

• Maryland

• Mississippi

• Ohio

• Oklahoma

• South Carolina

This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes implied .

Slave Narratives, 1941

 African American Records