Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 4

"Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves" by the United States Work Projects Administration is a profound collection of firsthand accounts from individuals who lived through slavery, recorded during the late 1930s. The book opens with introductions to people such as Mazique Sanco and Clarissa Scales, sharing their early lives and later experiences after gaining freedom. These former slaves recount their lives before, during, and after the Civil War, offering a personal view of a dark period in history; through their stories, the work presents a complex portrait of life in slavery with both harrowing and, at times, unexpectedly gentle moments, underscoring the strength and adaptability of those who survived it.