Windham, Tom (story)

The following data is extracted from Arkansas Slave Narratives.

FOLKLORE SUBJECTS Interviewer: Bernice Bowden Subject: Apparitions

Information by: Tom Windham Place of Residence: 723 Missouri St. Pine Bluff, Ark. Occupation: None (Age 92) [TR: Information moved from bottom of first page.] [TR: Same name, address, six year age difference from last informant.]


"Yes ma'm, I believe in spirits-you got two spirits-one bad and one good, and when you die your bad spirit here on this earth.

Now my mother comes to see me once in awhile at night. She been dead till her bones is bleached, but she comes and tells me to be a good boy. I always been obedient to old and young. She tell me to be good and she banish from me.

My grandmother been to see me once.

Old Father Abraham Lincoln, I've seen him since he been dead too. I got a gun old Father Abraham give me right out o' his own hand at Vicksburg. I'm goin' to keep it till I die too.

Yes ma'm, I know they is spirits."

Source: Arkansas Slave Narratives

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