Words from a Slave

Amanda Hickem

Interviewed at Austin, Texas

Age when Interviewed: 88

Excuse me but I won't really remember every detail from back then, but one things for sure no slave ever forgets his or her struggles. My name is Amanda Hickem and had 3 brothers and 4 sisters who were raised without a fatheR. Mamma never told us what happened to him but I always prayed for his life if he wuz still alive. We were just too many of us in the house not even a pin could fit anymore. I dont regret how i lived but just wished we all were together with our father. Then came that day back in 1845 when we got seperated during a slave trade. I soon realized i wasn't goin to see my family again. Being by myself at age 12 seemed like i wasnt goin to survive. I was taken to a farm where i saw other slaves work in the cotton fields in Austin, Texas. I knew my life wasn't going to be easy from now on.

The next day i began working in the ctton field. OHH my lord you couldn't even imagine the humidity or hottness of the day. I hadn't eaten very well and wasn't that strong to begin working. Just as long as the master, Phillips, didn't send his men after one of us to get whipped i was up to do the work. I t was bout mid day when i was pickin the cotton when i felt like the people were goin round and round me and so did the sky. I fell but i could still hear the other people's voice thing is I couldn't open my eyes and couldn't move. Next thing i know when I opened my eyes i was in Mary's matress, the master's wife. The one who helped my was Peter and his mom. I thought they was cruel and careless for us slaves like the master, but turned out they watched out for the children.Peter who was 13, made conversation with and didn't treat me as bad as his father or workers i didn't know if i should trust him at first but as i got to know him did watched out for the children and so did his mamma.

Phillip wanted the cotton baskets to be full by the end of the day and if we didn't his theory was that we were distrated or didn't want to do the work. He would send his men after the ones who didn't finish and whipped them really hard plus wole them up extra early to finish up and finish an extra basket of cotton . We couldn't even take a brake for personal use because if we did we wouldn't eat and be let working until the master said to STOP.

Time went by and Mary was going to have a baby and needed someone to take care of the baby. By then i was already 15 and was in charged of the new born. It was as if i was the mom and my god i didn't get some sleep at all. Taking care of the baby and cooking for the master and workers wasnt goin as easy. There came a point were i was going to escape that farm and go FAR away but one of Phillip's nephew's caught me and they whopped me not after they spread lime over the wounds and made me plead them to stop and apologize for trying to leave. Once again my duty was to watch the baby. During the winter colds came and so did fevers. I couldn't escape them and while sick word came to me that the new born got a really high fever and couldn't resist it and died. Mary blamed me and had me cut a finger to feel the pains she did with the lost of her boy. At that moment i knew she wasn't the person she tended to be and my guess was the son didin't either.

All does daily duties payed for nothing now since i couldn't and had no reason to work. I had to deal with the wound and the pieces of dry blood would hurt if a did any duties or wash the clothes of the master. Every night i felt like i should just die and finally rest in peace. Whatis the whole point of me living if im not happy and life is too cruel to me. Then again only god knows why i still live and what im here for. All those events that made me mad were soon going to get punished for. Mary would beworried bout er face and kept it lookin good. I made a special lotion that would mark her face with black spots and would itch until she bleeded herself out. Now Phillip had money that could buy him an entire army. On that day i grab whatever my hands could get and ran away being smart and careful not get caught. Turned out that day us slaves were declared free and finally could live without no one giving us orders.