Slave Narratives

From 1936 to 1938, the Federal Writers’ Project sent workers out to talk with people who had been enslaved. They recorded more than 2,300 interviews in 17 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The Library of Congress gathered them in 1941.

Most of the people interviewed were children when slavery ended. By then they were in their 80s and 90s. They talked about their parents, their enslavers, the work, the war, freedom and the years after.

I brought these interviews here so descendants can find their people. You can search by name, state or interviewer. Many interviews name family members, enslavers and the places people lived. More than 300 come with photos of the person who spoke.

If you find someone who might be yours, start there. Then follow the names.