Louisa Davis.
Winnsboro, South Carolina.
I choose to look at Louisa Davis, an ex-slave
of supposedly 106 years old. Louisa Davis was bought buy ‘Marster Jim Lemon’. What
at first fascinated me about her story is how literate she was. Although some
of her spelling is spelt phonetically, her grammar and vocabulary are rather
advance. Another intriguing factor of her story was that Mr Lemon, bought ‘us
all’. I feel this is interesting as
typically when you think of an American Slave, you think of a physically fit
male who can work hard in the field. However, in contrast to this stereotype,
Mr Lemon buys them all; he keeps the family together. Arguably this can be seen
as self gain, women too were important in keeping a house running and most
importantly fertile women were important in order to keep reproducing.
Noticeably, Louisa inform us she was seen as a ‘pretty gal’ and ‘ain't so bad
to look at now’ as slaves were compared to cattle, the most attractive and
physically able would have been the most popular. However, it could be viewed, as
Louisa is literate and as we learn from reading her story further, that Mr
Lemon can be seen as more humane in his treatment towards his slaves; allowing
them to an extent some some aspects of normal life and isn't violent towards
them.
Interestingly, it looks like Louisa managed
to live a half normal life. She was able to get married, have a husband and
have a son. She spent time in the garden, watching the flowers bloom in
‘springtime’ another example of where we see her as intelligent. Some slaves wouldn't
have known their age, family's well-being and in some cases probably didn't
have a name and here Louisa is knowledgeable about the different seasons. Although
she was just a housemaid, she ate the ‘same meals as my marster’s folks did.’
This can be seen as a huge privilege. Louisa continues to comment on how she
knows how to cook and talks about a rather complicated ‘pumpkin pie’, which she
was able to eat too. She also went to church and had aspirations, ‘I sho’ like
to dance when I was younger’. She even mentions a specific instrument. She also
knows her President at the time and calls him a ‘blessin’’. Either showing her
lack of knowledge about politics or even
she knows, even to a small extent, something outside her life she is living
with Mr Lemon and everyone else on the plantation.
However, although most of her language is
rather positive and she seems happy within her story, there are arguable times
when she is reluctant to the system. For example, she didn't like that she saw
little of her husband. This is in fact the only mention of violence included in
her story being enforced to keep slaves regimented.; ‘run Sam many a time.’ She
continues her negativity with Sam’s story with his death, ;when she simply
states, ‘he dead now’. The monosyllabic word choice suggests detachment from
the emotion involved with this. Although, she does blame the ‘white folks’ for
it, the generalising of her accusation could be viewed as she doesn't want to
blame Mr Lemon personally, as she herself is greatly of his service and instead
continues to talk about Sam’s pension, rather than get emotional about Sam
himself.
The ending itself is rather ambiguous, we are
left wondering what happens to Louisa, her family and the plantation she lives
on. Personally, I get the ideas that she is happy. The last we are informed by
Louisa herself, is that she was still with her family and her grandson was an
aspiring soldier in the war based in North Carolina. He visited with his bonus
and they make jokes with each other and we are portrayed a strong family feel.
Louisa sums her story up by calling her grandson ‘warrior, loyal and brave’ and
to me I feel this sums up her story.
Louisa Davis.
Ex-slave 106 years old.
Davis, Louisa
Winnsboro, South
Carolina
NOTES: Interviewer: W. W. Dixon
SOURCE: WPA Slave Narrative Project, South Carolina
Narratives, Volume 14, Part 1
COLLECTION: Federal Writer's Project, United States Work
Projects Administration (USWPA); Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
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