Speakers-Lou Ida Maddox, unknown female speaker, Vennie Deas-Moore

Audio Quality-Good, though Mrs. Maddox is occasionally very soft spoken

Location-Pendleton, SC

Cassette 1

Side 1

00:20-9:35--Vennie Deas-Moore begins the interview by explaining aspects of the proposed Black Heritage exhibit and her interest in artifacts, asks about the family bible, and how many children Mrs. Maddox had.

9:40-10:50--Marriage--Mrs. Maddox states that she was married at home on December 28, 1930. Snow covered the ground; she describes the scene.

10:55-19:35--Mrs. Maddox talks about having children and making clothes for them, states her denomination as Baptist, and talks briefly about the Order of the Eastern Star (she has been a member since the 1950's).

19:40-29:30--Mrs. Maddox names her nine children and again discusses issues regarding the family bible.

29:37-31:38--Her items related to the Eastern Star society are her sash, corsage, hat, and bag. She recalls "Turnouts," which were annual meetings that Freemason's and members of the Eastern Star would attend.

31:41--Audio ends.

Cassette 1

Side 2

00:12--Mrs. Maddox continues to discuss "Turnout" activities such as what time of year it is held, and in general how the celebrations are carried out.

2:45-5:00--Deas-Moore begins taking and inventory of photographs in the residence.

5:05--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 1

00:56--Mrs. Maddox was born Anderson County (Sandy Springs, SC), the daughter of Benjamin and Julia Jenkins Spears. Her father was from Abbeville, SC, and was born three years after freedom was granted to the slaves. She had ten siblings; she names each.

2:35--She knew her paternal grandfather, Armstrong Spears. He lived to the age of 106. She also names some older aunts and uncles that she knew growing up who were born under slavery.

3:50--Slavery--one issue regarding slavery that she can recall her older relative's discussing is the fact that slaves were not allowed to worship openly. They would hold services in secret, far away from the master. Some old Negro Spirituals are based on this tradition. She recounts the migration of family members who were sold in different parts of the country, as well as the movement of her father into the upstate from Abbeville, SC. She also states that when freedom came to her ancestors who were slaves, land was either willed to them or in some cases the individuals were allowed to have the amount of land they could walk around in a day (often 200 acres).

9:45--The most common employment opportunities available to blacks when she was young involved farming. She picked cotton as a youth; the most she picked was around 300 pounds per day. Workers could expect payment of around $0.50 to $1.00 per hundred pounds. She explains aspects of the cotton operation and shipping business before making comment on the boll-weevil outbreak and help granted by the WPA.

16:00--Burials/funerals--Her family is buried at Watson Crossing in Anderson County. Funerals were different when she was young in that there were no undertakers, family and friends would come to the home to pray and sing at what they referred to as a "wake," and wagons were used to transport the deceased. The involvements of Burial Aids Societies were common in those days as well.

23:50--Weddings/marriages--Mrs. Maddox made her own wedding dress; she explains the steps in the process.

25:45--She had one brother (actually a cousin who was raised by her parents) who worked on the railroad; she explains his role. Another brother was sent overseas during World War I; he was a cook and never saw combat, but was close enough to hear difficult stories of death and the missing. In the United States, families would often get notification that their son was missing before final confirmation that the body was being sent home. Families were often told not to open the casket, so in reality they might not be sure if the person that was being buried was their relative, but they would grieve as if it was.

31:35--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 2

00:19--Mrs. Maddox talks about issues surrounding local shopping opportunities. Most fruits, vegetables, and meat were grown at her home. She explains the process in making sugar and molasses from sugar cane.

4:55--Mrs. Maddox had nine children; she recalls baby showers where family and friends would bring gifts. She had all of her children at home.

10:55--Issues regarding her employment over the years is revisited. Employment opportunities were fairly limited for local blacks. She picked cotton for most of her life before turning to domestic work for local whites. She attempts to explain the strong ties of affection between domestic workers and the white children they helped to raise. She worked for the Burley family locally. She talks at quite some length regarding her experiences working for the family.

27:00--Educational issues as they related to her children are touched upon, as well as the fact that Mrs. Maddox herself attended rural schools, but had to quit because of farm work.

30:35--Mrs. Maddox was a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church.

31:00--She can recall the flu epidemic of 1917-1918. There was much sickness and death as she can recall.

31:50--Audio ends.