Charlane Blount interview with Mary Jones, Gladys Neason, and M.C. Copeland

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com.
The interview begins with Mary Jones talking about superstitions such as sprinkling salt and red pepper in the bedroom and putting a hat on the bed for good luck. She then tells a story about opossum and rabbit hunting. Jones follows up by singing one verse of a song about whooping cough. Next, Gladys Neason shares a few superstitions about good and bad luck, including black cats crossing the road and never letting a woman into the house first thing on Monday morning. At the conclusion of the interview, M.C. Copeland tells three short folk tales about snakes and a ghost story about his uncles haunted house. He then sings a song that his African American nanny sang to him when he was a child.
Biographical information about Mary Jones, Gladys Neason, and M.C. Copeland has not been determined.
Char-lane Blount j~nglish 307 December 2, 1966 Ofu,1 TRADITIONS OF Tlffi GEORGIA NEGRO Because the folklore of Geo.rgia has been 80meHhat neglected by col lectors, I attempted at least to open the door for further r'esearch in the state. I narr01,red my source of folklore d01oJ1l to the Negro in the Atlanta area. I, like,ri8e, included the folklore of a l"nLi.te man ,,,hose lore Has influenced to soms extent by Negro lore. All four of my informants spent their childhood in rural communities, during vThich time their lore vJaS re tained and T,ras passed on orally. Two Negr'o informant.s were born and reared in Greene Count.y, loca.t.ed in Cent.ral Georgia; the t.hird one Was born and reared in Oglet.hol'pe County, vThich is located in Northeast Georzi.a. The other info.rmant 1ras reared in Wheeler County, located in South Georgia;. Alt.hough the majorit.y of my collect.ion project is confined to superstition, tales, and beliefs, it is, nevertheless, an initial pl'obe into the vast, virgin field of Negro lore in Georgia. Collecting successfully f{'\;Jm the Southern Negro I,ras more than diffi cult simply because of present racial friction, For two i"lfo1'l'1ants, it .requ:i.red hours of eoaxing and mellowing before they ,,,ould eonsent to be re corded on tape, One Negro vTOman would only 'Jonsent to have her lore ,,,ritten. Perhaps they considered themselves mocke.Pies; but I tried at all times to shaH my interest in them as people, not as anything less. At first my in fo.rmants assured me that theY.1'emembered not.hing; but after they became better acquainted ,;j,.th me and the purpose for collecting, their memories returned. I;/hen I asked. a.bout voo-doo, they became some1Nbat nervous and refused to discuss it. I rea.lized immediately that to pl'ess the matter 2 "JOuld result in little or no ccill.ectil1g whatsoever. Since r recorded all the lore in the homes of my informants, hOvJever', it did alleviate the st.rain someHhat, for certainly r HaS as uncomfortable 'IS they. r"o<!JllecteJ duplicates and variants of several superstitions. Unfor tunately I only coliLected one song from a Negro informant; Hhen I played this song for another Negro Homan, from whom r could collect nothing, she admitted that she had heard the song when shC? was a child. She also ad mitted hC?aring the song I collected from my only v/hite informant, who ITas her employer. Yet she refused to add anything. The remainder of the paper is dC?voted to that folklore "hich r col lected and to a biographical sketch of each informant. 8C?fore l'ecording my infol'mants, I notC?d thC?ir backgrounds on paper; and I X'C?corded only the fo1klorC? itsC?lf. I collected the fo11mdng superstitions, tales, and short religfuous song from Mrs. Mary Jones, a 6I-f_year_old Negro ,",oman ,,ho resides at 111.53 La F.rance StreC?t in Atlanta. Mrs. ,jones HaS born in Penfield, Georgia, which is in GreC?ne County; and she lived there until she 'TaS 21. Al though Mrs. Jones said her father had told h8.r m""y old tales and had sung to her many songs, she couldreme:nber fei-v qfthem.. Shs was, ho'VT__ ever, able to recall several superstitions, all of which she be1tiev.ed valid, and a couple of folktales. I asked hC?r if she kne" anything about or anyone connected ,OTith voo-doo, but she sHore she had nothing to do Hith it orl.ri.th anyone connected ,oTith it; instead, she said she put all her fc.ith in the Lord. Since she told mC? she firmly believed in the supersti tions, it seemed somm(fhat inconsistent; but I dared not question her further. 'fh," dialogue which follows is taken from a tape-recorded intervim'T "lith Mrs. Jones on November 13, 1966: Blocmt: You "ere t.ellin' me the one about. buryJng a lock of hair of ynul:' boyfriend. Mrs. Jones: Uh huh. Blount.: Tell me about that one. Mrs. Jones: Put da lock '" haa in de cemetary, it'11, it ','J' make 'em come back home, Blolmt: That. means they'll stay a.round? Mrs, Jones: Uh huh, uh huh, stay around. mount: Hhat. Here you tellin' me about spr:i.nkling salt? Mrs, ,)ones: Pu ela salt, spr:i.nkle salt t.hu da house 8.n' dat's fa good luck. Blount: That's for good luck? Ivirs. Jones: Uh huh. Blount: Do you do t.hat? Mrs. ,)ones: I dooz :i.t.! Blount.: Alr:i.ght, okay. And you told me about puttin' the hat. on the beel, too, Hrs, ,)ones: Pu' da hat onda bed, aHays tun it. up fa good luck. An' den ya sprinkle peppa, red peppa an' salt. :i.n ya be.droom an' dat' s fa good luck. Blount: Oh, let's see. You Here tellin' me Some st.ories about killin' , possums" 11rs. Jones: Urn hum. Yeah mo., yeah ma deddy ,ren' to 'possum huntin' an' "hen 'e dj.c1n' cetch any, 1,"e ast 'im why '10 dic1n', an' 'e sed'Jhen 'e got "TOuld ast l.,hy 'e git 'em outtD. cemetary. 'e sed cause de' d be betta. !3Iount: That's' cause they've been eatin' the de:,l,cl people. Is that right? Mrs. Jones: lil huh, uh huh, do,t's right. Dat's "'hat dat meant, hon .. Blount: That! s hard to believe, isn't it? Oh, yeah, \,rell, ",llat about rab bit huntin'? Hrs. Jones: VI"ll, We go to :~abbit huntin' ,;/e couldn' cetch, the elawg "I:J"Oll-ldn I run de :r.abhit., ma deddy (orculd make de boys run t em an' cetch 'em.. Blount: Yeah. 'fhat's p.reiBty-_ that's good. '.rllat's pretty)MB.n, though, 11r8, Jones: Uh huh, it wnz. It ,JUZ mean mean, bllt He ];'onted dat rabbit. Blount: Diel you ever go? Did you eVer do it? Did you ever ,run 'em? Brs,.Jones: I didn' Pun at 'em, but I et 'eml 13IOlmt: Hey, 1-Jhat was that song you 1,Jer" tel1in' me abou.t? \'Jhat HaS it? ~ly fa.ther died of the ",hoopin' cou.gh? l'irs. Jones: ~b deddy died ",-i' da "'hoopin' cough, ]Y1a. mama ,'Ti f da measles? An' '.,hen I die, I'm goin' go, die lookin' up, An' goinf home to J'esus Blount: Thank you. Mrs. Jones: Urn hum. Mrs. Gladys Neason, Ifl, also a Neg.ro, told 111e several sU;Jerotttions vrhich I recorded November 13, 1966. She HaS born in Oglethorpe County', located tn Northeast Georgta, Hhere she 1tl'ed until she lras 22 . Then she c~me to Atlanta, Hhere she n01,' resides B.t 216 Hi1J.tchison Street. I ques-- tioned her about Negro Blues; she 'V'aS aquainted Hith such songs as II John Henry" and ",stagger Lee," but she dtc\ not recall the lyrics. Mrs. Neason believed all the superstitions she told me: Blount: Alright, loJhat '''as the one about, tell 111e about on New Year's Day donI t ",ver let a eJOman come to Y9Utl house 'rell me about that one. Nrs. Neason: A,mys let a man come in da house on NmJ Year's Day first 'cause he'll gib ya good luck. A Homan B.'TayS g:i.b ya bad luck. Blount,: Alright. H01., about, uh, oh! lA1at Has that don't start anything-- JVlrs. Neason: Don' neba. start anything on FX'idy lmless ya gain' finish it. 8101mt: Is that bad luck? Mrs. Ne3.son: Um hum. You'll hab bad luck. Blount: Okay. And you told me anothel' one simila.1' to the one on New' Year's Day, on Monday-- Mrs. Neason: On Mondy neba let a Homan in ya house ftrst thing on Mondy monin' 'cause it'll gib ya bad luck. Blount: H01" about the one about cutting the baby's hair befo.1'e he's a year old. !-lrs.. Neason: AFJays Hait until da baby's a yea' 01' because i.t 111 make lt c.~-t haTN'd fa him teasin' (teething )-- before yaA'is haa off Blount: ~nd you told me the one about when the moon changes. lirs. Neason: 1,1hen da moon changes, a1,ays sho' yo money to da moon, 8.n' you aways hab good luck. Blount: Have you ever done that? Do you believe in it? Mrs. Neason: Um hum. (laughs) Blount: That's Hhat I "rant to knmT. Vnlat about putting your hat on the bed? Mrs. Neason: Do not pu' yo hat on da bed 'cause it's bad luck. Blount: Dp you believe in that one, too? Have YQu ever tY.'ied it? Have you ever put your hat on the bed? Mrs. Neason: Yeah, an' took it off when I foun' nrysef "it' it on dere .. Blotmt: I knoH, I know Hhat you mean. Oh, you told nre about breaking s:omething in somebody else's hand. vmat happens "hen you do that? l'1:cs. Neason: Don' neba break anything in a. puhson's han' 'cause it's bad luck. You should han' it to da puhson an' let 'im break it daself.. Blount: And, uh, ,,,hen you're traveling and a black cat c1'osses--10u Here tellin' me about that one. Mrs. Neason: ~h, wheneba a black cat crosses to da lef', it aHays gib you a bad sign--you goin' hab bad luck. Blount: And do you beli,we in that one, too,? Mrs. Neason: Dh huh. Blount: Do you? And you believe in that one on NeH 'rear's Day? Mrs. Neason: Uh huh. Blount: Ilnd on Monday? Mrs~ Neason: Yeahe Blount: Tile11 , that s 8,11 I H8,l1t to kn01<. Thahk you. Mrs. Ihry JVloon, 71, 8, Negro,resides at 71+IImcren street in ilt1ant8. She "T8.S born in Union Point, ,,,hich is Greene County; a.nd she 1iv-ed there until she Has 28. Mrs. Moon refused to be recorded on tape, but she did allm, me to ]'Trite several superstitions ",hich she learned ft'om her mother. '1'he follmJing conversation took place on November 21,1966: B1mmt: Mrs. \'1oon, you "Jere telling me about planting a gal'den. hlhat lJaS that one no",? Mrs. Moon: Yeah, when ya plan' a ga,~ien, i' ya 1eeb one row unp1an ' d, one outta ya famly'11 die. Blount: Tell me the one about burying a lock of a man 's ha:ir. Mrs. I'loon: It ya bury a lock of a man" s haa unda da fron I steps, I e ,,"on I 1eeb ya. B1Qunt: Ho", I bout the one about the black cat. Mrs. Moon: I' a bl.~ck cat cross yEt to da lef', de:!;' s bad luck. '1'0 git bad luck off, tun round :3 times an I 1-Jallk bacbmhds. Blount: 'rell me the other om) about the black eat. YOt\ kno",, the one about boilin' lim.. !'lrs. !'loon: 1)h huh. 'ro hab good luck, a solid black cat an 1 bol 'im alive, an' da bone dat jeU1lS out, keep ,t. An' you'll a",eys habe good luck. Blount: Hal" 'bout the one about NeN Yea.r's Day. Mrs. Moon: Don' neba let a ,..roman come to yo house first thang NeH Year's Day 'cause dat' s bad luck. Although my last informant T.raS not a Negro, I felt that his lore might be an asset in that it. HaS influenced indirectly and, to some extent, dir ectly by Negroes. Hr. 11. C. Copeland, 33, \rho pl:'8f;ently resides at 2005 I);ast Cftm.ellia Drive in DecatuPt Georgia, lJaS born in Nadison, Florida; hovr ever', he spent the first 26 years of his life :i.n Hcnae, Georgia, which is in I\lheeler Comnty. He sang one song, Hhich he learned from an elderly Ncogro Homan ",ho helped rear him, in the presence of a 64_year_old Negro ,'oman "'hom he employs as a maid. And alt.hough the Negx'o ,;,oman told me she kneH of no tales, songs, or superstitions, she ac1nL-ltted that she had heard the song many years ago but. had fox'gott.en it, Mr. Copeland also told me a ghost t.ale concerning his family, Net only did he believe it, but he clained everyone in HcRae believed it as Hell. He, likel,is8, told me seve.ral folk beliefs coneerning snakes, some of "'hioh ,rere told me by other people I did riot l~e- . cord. I recorded Mr. Copeland's lQre on November 29, 1966, as follO\m: Blount: il1right, you Here telling me some sll,X'1.es about snakes--about the hoop snake~ Mr. Copeland: Yeah, I've heard a fe"r, There's one about the hoop snake that puts 'is tail in's mouth an' 'en 'e rolls afta ya tryin' to cetch ya, see, Then' epe I s one about the joint snake. If ya cut a joint snake l.n tHO, 'ill jo1.nts 1 imse1f back togetha, Coach snake, ooachl;,hip snake 'e runs afta ya an I Ien ",hoops y to death. Blount: You donlt believe in those, do ya? Mr. Copeland: NmJ! '.r.hat '''HZ toll to me Hheneva I HUZ a kid, see. Blolmt: h~o told ya these? Mr. Copeland: Oh, ma motha 8.n l ma 8. lnts an' ma granmotha an' all lem tryin ' to sca. I us. Jus I likei:llaey caHl the devil "red eyes an I bloody bones." Ya '''Hdn' slposeto opln any clmmets in the house. Blount: IrJhat "rould happen? Hr. C.bp!"lAnd: "Hed eyes an' blood,)" bones" Id git ya. Had fruit anI candy an' stuff like 'at hid, see. Blount: Oh, did they ever tell ya any ghost tales? You told me a tale yesterday about, about, who Has i.t? Your uncle, your grand.father that had a hau.nted house? Mr. Copeland: Teah, I believe it '''HZ lhau.nted, too. (Laughs) Blount: 'fell me about it, Mr. Copeland: Vell, they' had seYr'l deaths, an' uh, they sed it VlUZ, haunted. Ils a matta '0 fact, I '''HZ conVinced ",heneva I ''''.1Z a kid. I had one gres.t uncle that killed 'imself, an' they put lim in the ha",l, An' ,,,hea 'e bled on the ha",l 10m?, still visible fa yeas an' yeas afta,mhds. An' uh, I had anotha uncle "ho di.ed '0 heart dr0psy they sed. An' the night he '''uz a corpse, the ,,ho])))hou8e shook an':tj.t moved on i.ts foundati.ons. An' stuff like 'at. Blount: You Heren't there, though, vJhen it happened. Mr. Copeland: No. Blount: Anything happen after thatr Ai'ter he lras killed, after he died? Mr. Copeland: 14ell, they jus' sed the place lffiZ haunted, an' I beHeved it, (Laughs) I emdn' go in 'ere by l11.yself. Blount: ilny'body else believe it around there? Mr. Copeland: Yeah. Blount: Oh, you Here tellin' me a little song that you lea.rned Hhen you Here a boy that a colored lady taught ya, that lQolted out for ya. Mr. Copeland: Na1of, she used to sing to's. Blotmt: You Hant to sing it for me? !'II', Copeland: Yeah, I'll sing it jus' like she sang it. Blount: Alright. Mr. Copeland; Baby-bye, there'S a fly, Let us Hatch I im, you an' I. lim,' 'e crm'Jls Up the Halls, An' he'll neva fall. I believe Hi' 6_inch legs, I believe Je could Halk on edge. Baby-bye, there's a fly, TickUn' the baby' oS nose,. 'rhe day before I .recorded Mr, Copela.nd I Hrote dOl'll a superstition that I forgot to inquire about; Blount: Do you remember any 01' superstitions that you heard "rhen you Here a boy? Nr. Copeland: Yeah, they tal' me one crheneva I "TUZ a kid that if ya kill a snake an I hang 'im oVa a fence itI d raina Blount: Did ya ever try i,t? I'Ir, Copeland: Yeah, an' it rained; too. Blount: '{au' re kiddin'? Nt', CopeJ.and: Nay, but it vTUZ cloudy crhen I done it, (Laughs) 'rhus from my brief collection of pJ.'edominantly Negro folklore, one quickly realizes hN' rapidly fo1k101'e is being buried ln'the minds, the souls, and the lives of people lnfluenced by a modern, urban, sophisti.cated society, Unless folklore research is augmented and acce1cl'ated, soon there "rill be noi:. folk .. lore to salvage ancl to pt'eserve _ Perhaps':dth the minute research of the amateur- folklorists at Georgia State Collego ,rill aris" a forceful drive on the part of folklore scholars to uncover and rev:i.ve 8, part of Georgia's people crhich has never before been enjoyed,
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Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions.
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