Ise born in Houston, Texas and thats where Ise a slave in. Ise taken from ma momma when Ise 'bout 12 years old and was seperated from ma family. I had 4 sistas and 3 brodas I was the eigth child in ma family. From where I memba I neva see non of ma brodas or sistas eva since Ise seperated from ma family. Poppa, neva seen em' befo' nor met em' and hoped to see em' one day but it neva happened. Now Ise 94 years old and from ma memory i memba that Ise sold at the market and were bidded. Ise bought from a white men and were taken to the plantations to work and also work the fields, grow crops and I memba if you is thirsty ya' couldn't get a drink of water til' ya' was done with ya work which is bout' sun wen down. Every day Ise get up erly in the mornin' and work til' the dark times. Ma owner was a white man by the name of Paul,who lived with its family, he had his wife, and 2 sonns, but also Ise not the only slave he had lots slaves working the fields. Ise with Paul til' Ise bout' 18 years old and is later sell to anotha white man by the name of John who took me a little southeast now and this man didn't threat me ight'. Every time Ise not done ma work hes whipp me oh else hes beat me up. Once Ise so tired and couldn't take it any mo' so Ise sit down on the ground, when the overseers see me lyin' down he called the owner and they take me back to a shelter were the owner is heating the brander. The owner comes up close to I and brands ma rigth legs and wen done instantly burns ma behind. He tells me that Ise learn a lesson and neva dare to seat down again wen worken the fields. This was very painful and couldnt take it no mo'. At nigth Ise fed some bread and couple of water. We all slept at cabinets were bout' 4 of us slept there in each cabin. Ise tired of this and was bout' thinkin to plan a way out but Ise didnt want to get caugth and migth even cause me ma life. Later since owner see me not tryen hard and working the fields cause' Ise young and is hurt from bein' burned or branded hes put me to take care of its child and is an easier job fo' me but Ise new soona or lata hes move I back to the plantations. Of course I choice would be fo' me to stay and take care of child and jus make sure they not get hurt and they learn to read. I sure not know what it is to read but Ise sure ask em' child some of the words and what em' meant. To tell ya' the truth I get along with them child good and also Ise respected em' and them respect I and sooner Ise to put back to the fields when child not want no one else but I. Now owner not care and put me in plantation, til' one day some men came in dressed up uniforms telling everyone ya' freed and Ise and everyone else jus ran away leaving and startin' a new beggining of ma life. I now got married to a women by the name of Rose and had 2 boys and 1 girl. Therefore Ise live the best life and forget bout' the past.
