Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume VII, Kentucky Narratives

"Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves" is a historical account compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in the late 1930s. This work represents the voices and experiences of men and women who were once enslaved in the United States, gathering their personal stories and reflections on life in slavery. The narratives provide direct insight into the daily lives, hardships, and resilience of these individuals, shedding light on a painful yet pivotal chapter in American history. The opening of this collection introduces a series of interviews with former slaves from Kentucky, each recounting their unique experiences while under slavery. The narratives detail various aspects of their lives, such as living conditions, family dynamics, work roles, and interactions with their masters. For example, Dan Bogie shares memories of his childhood in a one-room cabin and recounts experiences of kindness from his masters, contrasting with the painful memories of family separation faced by others. The interviews capture a range of emotions, from nostalgia for simpler times to the harsh realities of enslavement, and collectively emphasize the complexity of the slave experience, illustrating both the humanity and the suffering of those who lived through it. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The Works Progress Administration was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads. It was set up on May 6, 1935, by presidential order, as a key part of the Second New Deal.