Gayle Reese interview with Verlie Cheeley, Thurmond Atkinson, and Avery Lester

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. This audio begins with Verlie Cheely playing old songs she learned from her father on the banjo. She plays and sings, The Lightning Express, Boil Them Cabbage Down, and Cripple Creek. At 4:55, Thurmon Atkinson, Cheeleys son, plays the guitar and sings On Top of Ole Smokey. At 7:19, Cheeley sings Little Rosewood Casket, and then he picks Wildwood Flowers on the banjo. 10:21: Atkinson then plays, Frankie and Johnny, Down in the Valley, You are my Sunshine, Beautiful Brown Eyes, The Wreck of Old 97, and Jimmy Crack Corn. 24:44: Cheeley sings Careless Love and Atkinson Frogs Courtship. At 28:48, Avery Lester plays the guitar and sings My Grandfathers Clock. He then switches to the fiddle and plays Cindy and Rickets Hornpipe. 31:40: Lester plays the guitar and sings, John Henry, Skip to My Lou, Red River Valley, and The Cowboys Lament. At 36:48, Lester describes his childhood and learning to play the fiddle and guitar. At 38:15, Cheeley talks about growing up in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and her father teaching her how to play the banjo. She then recalls when she and her brother earned $2.50-$3.00 a week performing at square dances. 40:47: Atkinson reminisces about learning to play the guitar when he served in the Navy. 42:12: The rest of the audio is a replay of Lesters songs previously played in the recording. Verilie Cheeley (1909-2005) grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia. She married James F. Cheeley (1913-1996) and had two children, Richard Lamar Atkinson (1930-1978) and Thurmon Eugene Atkinson (1933-2012), who served in the Navy. Thurmon married Patricia June Atkinson (1939-1994). Avery Lester (1939- ) grew up in Duluth, Georgia. Additional biographical information has not been determined. J<'oH 302 (J <) Bu.:r'ri..Bon Gayle ftceGEl Nu.I'ch 10,1969 Vorlie Cheeley, a fifty-nine-year-old housewife, lives with her husband, Jimmy, and their daugll'~er, Brenda, in Forest Park. Georgia. She has ilOon playing the banjo since she was about eleven years old and si'lging since flhe could talk. Her father, who was a farmer in Rochelle, Georgia, moved his family to Lawrenceville, Georgia in 1911 when Verlie was about two years old. She and her brothers and sisters learned to sing their fa.ther's favorite songs as they rode to church and other places on their wagon. They sang for fun and their own entertainment. Verlie learned to play when her father promised his banjo to the child who learned to play. She and htH' older brother, Buck, hcgan to play for ~quare dances whon they were teenagers. She played the banjo and sang, and he played the fiddle. After they grew up and married, they still got together with their children and their broth(;s "lid sinters and sang. VerLLe I s son, Thurmond Atkinson, learned these songs from his mother, but he did not learn to play the guitar until he was in the Navy aboard ship. He is thirty-five years old and is married and hilS two children. They also live in Forest Park, about a mile from his mother. He works with Southern Airways, as a spraypainter. He is teaching his children to sing and sings and pl,,s for them whonover he has time. Mrs. Cheeley and Thurmond were very shy before the mike and almost refused to be interviewed on tape,as was my other informant, AveT:!! Lester. They did consent to answering flome questions, if they did not have to be taped. Verlie frails her banjo, which was a gift from her father when she was about eleven years old. She broke her wrist a few years a~o, and she could not move her fingers for a long tDne. She refused t,o be paralyzed and continuously tried to play her banjo. Now she is able to use her hand, although it is a little stiff. She said that she used to sing and play better when she was younge,r, hut she has not practiced in quite a whU,e lmd could not remember many' of the old songs she used ~o sing a~ a child. Thurmond Is singing style has greatly been influenced by the popular styles of today. He used to mimic Elvis Presley and was asked for this performance by all his friends. He then turned to countly and western music and started copying such cowboy singers as Gene Autry and Tex Ritter, who was his favorite. His version of IFroggie Went A' Courtin' , has been greatly influenced by Tex Rit~er. Avery Lester, my other informant, 'lives with his wife and daughter, Debbie, in ,~he country near Lawrenceville, Georgia. He is thirty- nine years old" cOllle last June," as he says. He is in the landscaping business with his cousin. Avery has always been interested in music and has worked with many bands. His las t band was called The Dixie Wranglers and played for country~western shows around the area. Avery learned to sing the old songs when he was a youngster. His famil,Y and the other~round the conununity got togethor and sang every Sunday afternoon. His f~nily and Verlie's were neighbors and o~en sang together. 2 songs he once knew. My mother and Avery are cousins, and their fwnilies visited often. She recalls going to visit the Lasters and asking Avery to play his fiddle. He would not play bafore an audienoe and would go into his bedroom and closethe door to play. He loarned to play on my grandfather's Stradivarius and later bought himself a copy of the violin. When he was a boy, he picked cotton with his parents. and brothers and sisters. They sans as they worked, and they all learned to play an instrwnent. Avery plays the banjo, fiddle, and guitar and is a very accomplished musician on all of them. Music is his hobby, and he has built a small recording studio in his backyard. He cuts records for his friends and anyone else who asks him to. He had almost forgotten all the old songs he sang as a child and had to practice before he would let me record him. He also had a terrible cold and sore throat, and he kept insisting that he sounded awful. There are many other songs he had once known but has now forgotten. He has been influenced by the populiar country-western music of today. These songs have replaced many of the traditional 'l1",9,\'i,, The first song I collected was from Mrs. Cheeley. It was 1'-. new to me , and I could not find any notes on it. She calls it 'The Lightening Express' " 'fhis is 'The LighteiJing Express' that I learnt from my daddy when I' s about fourteen years old." .3 4 The Lightening Express from the depot Had just started out on its way. Most all the passengers who were on board Had seemed to be happy and gay. Except for a boy on a seat by himself A reading a letter he had. It was plain to be seen from the tears in his eyes Its contents made him sad. Please, Mr. Conductor, Don't put me off a your train. The dearest friend I have in this world Is w~iting for me in pain. Expectin' to die any moment, She may not live through the day. I want to kiss Mother goodbye, Sir, Before God takes her away. A little girl setting close by explained, " If you put that boy off it's a shame." Taking her hat a collection she made fu1d soon paid his way on the train. "Obliged to you, Miss, for your kindness to me." "Quite welcome," she said, "never fear." Each time the conductor was passing through the cars, These words would ring in his ears. Ple ase, Mr. Conductor, Don't put me off a your train. The dearest friend I have in this world Is waiting for me in pain. Expectin' to die any moment, She may not live through the day. I want to kiss Mother goodbye, Sir, Before God takes her away. "Now this song is one ll\Y daddy learnt me. This is an 01' song my daddy used to play, and it 's' Boil Them Cabbage Down.'" Boil them cabbage down Turn tha~ hoecake roun'. The only song that I can sang Boil them cabbage down. "I thought I'd try to play this old-old song 'Cripple Creek I Going up to Cripple Creek Going up to Cripple Creek 5 Going in a run Going up to Cripple Creek To have a little fun. Laws puts this next song in Appendix III, which is Balladlike Pieces. He lists it in the category including those ballads in which the lyric element dominates. "Hi. This is Thurmond Atkinson singing 'On Top of Ole Smoky'." On top of Ole Smoky All covered with snow I lost my true lover \Vhile courtin' too slow. For a courting' s a pleasure And parting is grief And a falsed-hearted lover is worse than a thief. For a thief will just rob you And take what you have. But a falsed-hearted lover Will lead you to your grave. And the grave will decay you And turn Y9u to dust. Not one girl in a hundred A poor boy can trust. Come all ye yo~ng gentlemen Give a listen to me. Never place your affection On a green willow tree. For the leaves they will wither, And the roots they will die, And will all be forsaken And never know why. , The Little Rosewood Caske!:;' is also placed in Laws 's AppendiX III under melodramatic and sentimental songs, usually of professional origin. "This is an 01' song that I used to go to church and set up on the wagon, you know, and my lnother and all my little brothers and sisters would be a settin' in the back. This boy I was a goin' with, he'd a sang it. We'd be a ridin' on the wagon a goin' 6 up through the Wildwo?ds to this country church, and uh boy, that I.t'i\.l ' I~':. ('n. was a happy time-- the best time you've ever seen. 30 I'm gonna ~, try to sing it, if I can remember the words." There's a little rosewood casket 3ettin' on a marble stand. There's a package of love letters Written by my true love's hand. Go and bring them to me, Brother. Come and set upon my bed. Place your head upon my pillow For my aching heart's most dead. Read them over gently, Brother. Read them' til I faU asleep, Fall asleep to wake in Heaven Oh dear Brother, do not weep. , j)fA)/V D. K. Wilgus states that 'Wildwood Flower' is fairly stable in age, origin, and startzas and may be a fairly new sentimental piece adopted by the folk. " lih- This is an old song that I learned to pick a little bit. My daddy learnt it to me when I's about- I guess ten or twelve years old. 'Wildwood Flowers'." This she did as a banjo instrumental. The next song is done by Thurmond Atkinson. It is one he learned from his mother as 'Frankie and Johnny.' This song originated from 'Frankie and Albert', and there are many conflioting reports concerning the age and factual basis of this piece. Laws places it in category I which includes Ballads of the Negro. It is listed as 13. Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts And oh how they ever did love. 'fhey swore to be true to each other Just as true as the stars above. He wuz her man He wouldn't do her no wrong. Frankie went down to the barroom Ju~'for a bucket of beer. She said, "Mr. Bartender, Has my lovin' Johnny been here?" He is my man. He wouldn't do me no wrong. "I wort' t tell you no story. I ain't gonna tell you no lie. Johnny was here about an hour ago With a girl named Nlillie Bly." He wuz my man And he's doing me wrong. Fral~ie looked over the transom And there to her surprise There on a couch sat Johnny Making love to Nellie Bly. He wuz her man And he wuz doin' her wrong. Frankie drew back her kimono. She pulled out a big .44 A root, a toot, toot Three times she shot through that barroom door. She shot her man That wuz doin' her wrong. Bring out your rubber tired buggy. Bring out your rubber tired cab. They're takin' my man to the graveyard. Lord, we ain't goin! to bring him back. He wuz my man And he wuz doin' me wrong. Bring out II. thousand policemen. Bring them round today. Lock me in that dungeon cell And throw the key away. I've shot my man That wuz doin' me wrong. This story has no morals. This story has no end. This story jus' goes to show There's no good in men. He wuz her man And he wuz doin' her wrong. 7 'Down in the Valley' is listed in Laws's Appendix 111-- Ballad-like Pieces. The lyric element dominates. Down in the valley Valley so low Late in the evenin' Hear the train blow. Hear the train blow, Luv. Hear the train blow. Late in the evenin' Hear the train blow. Roses love sunshine. Violets love dew. Angels in Heaven Knows I love you. Knows I love you, Dear, Knows 1 love you. Angels in Heaven Know I love you. Write me a letter. Send it by mail. Send it in care of Birmingham Jail. Birmingham ~ail, Luv Birmingham,Jjail Send it in care of Birmingham Jail. Down in the valley Valley so low Late in the evenin' Hear the wind blow. Hear the wind blow, Luv. Hear the wind blow. Late in the evenin' Hear the wind blow. The next song in IUy collection is done by Thurmond, also. It is called 'You Are My Stinshjne'. You are my sunshine MY only sunshine. You make me happy When skies are gray. You'll never know, Dear How much I love you. Please don't take My sunshine away. The other night, Dear, As I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in ~y arms. And when I woke, Dear, 1 was mistaken And I hung ffiif head And I cried. You are ~y sunshine MW only sunshine. You make me happy Vlhen skies are gray. You'll never know, Dear, How much I love you. Please don't take My slimshine away. 'Beautiful Brown Eyes' was quite a favorite of Verlie and her father, and Thurmond sings it now for her. Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, I'll never love blue eyes again. Willie, ffiif darling, I love you, I love you with all of ffiif heart. Tomorrow we might have been married But liquor has kept us apart. Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes. Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes. Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes. I'll never love blue eyes again. Down to the barroom he staggered, ;:[/e fell down by the door. The very last words that he uttered, 'I'll never love blue eyes again.' Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, Beautiful, beautiful brown eyes, I'll never love blue 'Yes again. 9 10 Laws gives to ' The Wreck of Old 97' the classification 03. This is included in Ballads of Tragedies and Disasters. The authorship of this ballad was claimed by David Graves George, a Virginia mountaineer, who died on January 23, 1946, at the age of 82. Gave him his orders at Munroe, Virginia Saying, "Steve, you're away behind time, This is not Thirty-eight, but it's Old Ninety-seven, You must put her in Spencer on time." It's a mighty rough road from lifnchburg to Danville And a line on a three mile grade. It was on this grade that his air-brakes lost him. And you see what a jump he made. He was gain' down grade making ninety miles an hour, When the whistle broke into a scream. He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle And scalded to death by the steam. Come all ye young ladies, you must take my warning From this time now on; Never speak harsh words to a loving husband, For he may leave you and never return. 'The Blue-rail Fly' started as a ministrel song. The first known copy of this song appeared in the Ethiopian Glee Book in 1844 as 'Jimmie Crack Corn'. La.ws lists it as I 19 included in his Ballads of the Negro. '('IVI}'!'!,!' l' (~. When I was young I used to wait On my master and hand him his plate And pass the bottle when he glt dry And brush away the blue-tail fly. Jimmy crack corn and I don't care. Jimmy crack cern and I don't care. ,Timmy crack corn and I don't care. My master's gene away. And when he ride in the afternoon I'd foller after him with a hickory broom. The pony being rather shy We'd brush away the blue-tail fly. 11 Jimrl\Y crack C01'n and I don't care. Jimmy crack corn and I don't oare. Jimmy orack corn and I don't care. MY mastel1'S gone away. And one day he roamed around the, farm; The flies being so numerous thev did swarm; One chanced to bite, him on the thigh, And take away the blue-tail fly. Jimmy crack corn and I don't care. Jimmy crack corn and I don't care. Jimmy crack corn and I donlt care. MY master's, gone away. 'Care]ess Love' is listed by Laws in Appendix III under Ballad-like Pieces.. The lyric element dominates. Mril'. Cheeley accompanies herself on the bailjo for her vellsion of this song. cause cause cause cause Oh love, Oh love, Oh careless love. Oh love, Oh love, Oh careless love. Oh love, Oh love, it's careless :Love. You see what love has done to me. ,U lO{1 you to weePla~d cause you to moan. ~~~ ~~ :::~ :~~ ~:~:: ~~~ ~~ :~:~: you to leave your happy home. It'll It'll It'll Itlll Love, Oh love, Oh careless love. Oh love, Oh IGve, Oh careless love. Oh love, Oh love, it's careless love. And you see what love has done to me. 'She'll be Coming Around the Mountain' is an old song sung by a~nost everyone in the country. been excluded from many references. It is also one which has VP/,J\Q" She'll be comin' aroun' the mountain when she comes. She'll be comin' aroun' the mountain when she comes. She'll be comin l aroun' the mountain,.>she'll be comin' aroun' the mountain, She'll be comin' aroun' the mOUntain when she comes. She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes. She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes. She'll be drivin' six white horses, she'll be drivin' six white horses, She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes. She'll be comin1 arlllun' the mountain when she comes. She'll be comin1 aroun 1 the mountain when she comes. She'll be comin' aroun' the mountain, she'll be comin' aroun' the mountain, She'll be comin' aroun' the mountain when she comes. We will kill the 01' red rooster when she comes. We will kHl the 01' red rooster when she comes. We will kill the 01' red rooster, we'll kill the 01' red rooster, We will kill the 01' red rooster when she comes. We will have chicken an' dumplings when she comes. We will have chicken an' dumplings when she comes. We'll have chicken an' dumplings, we'll have chicken an' dumplings, We will have chicken an' dumplings when she comes. 'The Frog's COill'tship' is listed by Laws in Appendix IV which is Imported Ballads and Folksongs. It has: been traced till British Broadsides. Thurmond's version has been greatly influenced by Tex Ritter. Froggie went a courtin', And he did ride uh huh, ' Froggie went a courtin', And he did ride uh huh. Frlllggie went a cOllI'tin' , And he did ride, A sword and a pistol by his side, uh huh, uh)huh, uh huh. Well he rode up till Miss Mousie's door uh hub. Rlllde up to Miss Mousie's door uh huh. Said Miss Mousie will ya marry me uh huh. He said Miss Mousie will ya marry me uh huh. lVhere will the weddin' supper be, uh huh? Vfuere will the weddin' supper be, uh huh? Way up yonder in the high oak tree, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. "Ah this is VerUe Cheeley. And uh I was borned and raised up in the country'. And used to get out and uh ride in the wagon and go to church and just have the bes'~ time. And uh, I was: born in Rochelle, Georgia but we moved back up in the 12 country near Lawrenceville. And uh after we moved back up there my daddy bought a l{n,\,\:lo when I was 'bout eleven years old. And he told us - he spJ.d, "Now if you learn to play it, I'll give it to you." Of course, I tried to learn, but I didn't do such a good job. I kinda got to where I'd frail it more than anything else. I couldn't pick it hardly. So, uh, after I got to picking then, we got to where we'd go around and my brother and I'd play for square dances. And uh one of our friends used to come by and git us in the \ l 11 car and uh we'd go. And uh they'd just pay 15 on the corner which was 15 a couple, and uh we'd go 'bout two and three times 9. week. And at that time, that wuz just lots of money to us. We would make about $2.50 - 3.00 a piece each week. And we really enjoyed ourselves. And uh ~anted to dance a lots but by me a pickin' the banjo, I didn't get a chance. But uh I learned to buck dance. Boy, I could,I could out buck dance any nigger at the time, and uh when I wuz real little, I'd buck dance a lots. And uh they'd give me 50 to get me to dance, and they used to try to take money out of my daddy's pocket, you know, and slip it aroun' and give it to me, and I'd make 'em give it back. I'd say, now you give money outa your pocket and I'll do it. I, so I don't know I)it's been a long time since JIl(J I picked my banjo much, so I'm " not doin' an,Y good with it lately. And uh Thurmond, Thurmond Atkinson, he's uh this boy of mine that's been playing the gu:i,tar. He's uh, he wuz born and raised down in the country, too, and he's pret,ty good"on his guitar, I think. And uh 131 I don't know. That's jus' about all I know to talk about today, I guess." "Hello, this is uh Thurmond Atkinson. I wuz born uh May 27, 1933. Uh, I play the guitar some and mostly know chords not uh can't pick too much. Uh I didn't learn to play the guitar until I wuz uh, well, I lived in the country uh for a short while. And uh didn't learn to play the guitar until I wuz grown and in the Navy aboard ship. And uh a boy from uh 1'occoa, Ga., taught me how and I don1t remember his name right now. Uh, he taught me what little I do know. And uh, me and two or three other boys picked up a little bit on the guitar while we' s aboard ship. But before I could learn how to play real good, he got transferred. Uh, then I got out of the Navy, and I continued to play up until I got married. And uh, since I got married I don't have much time for it." My next informant is Avery Lester, who was eager to perform although he had a cold. '11Y Grandfather's Clock' is one of Avery's favorite songs, and the first he performed. My grandfather1s clock Was too large for the shelf So it stood ninety years on the floor. It wuz taller by half than the old man himself, But it weighed not a pennyweight more. It was bought on the morn Of the day that he was born, And was always his treasure and pride But it sto,Jped short never to go again when the old man died. Ten years without slwnbering It's life seconds numbering But it stopped short, never to go again Vfuen the old man died. 14 'Cindy' is another favorite of the country folks around Lawrenceville. Avery does a fiddle instrumental of this song and of 'Ricket's Hornpipe.' , (Aj" <.i (. 15 Laws list 'John Henry' under Ballads of the Negro, II. Avery enjoys performing this song and accompanies himself on the guitar. John Henry was a little bitty boy, no bigger Than the palm of your hand. His mammy looked at him and proudly said John Henry'l1 be a steel c(Uvin' man John Henry'l1 be a steel dfilr\vin' man. John Henry was a little bitty boy Settin on his mammy's knee Sez the big bend tunnel on the C & 0 route Is gonna be the death of me Is gonna be the death of me. John Henry was a steel df~#vin' man He drove steel allover this land Before he'd let that steam drill get him down I'll die with the hammer in my hand I'll die with the hammer in my hand. John Henry went to the tunnel to drive The steam drill by his side John Henry beat the steam drill to the top of the hill He laid down his hll~ner and he died He laid down his hammer and he died. John Henry had a loving little wife Her name was Mary Ann \hen poor John Henry took sick and died She went and drove steel like a man She went and drove steel like a man. 'Skip To My Lou' is another baJiad which Avery enjoys performing. Greet your partner, that gal Lou, Now your neighbor, that gal Sue; Now your partner, skip to my Lou, Skip to my Lou my darlin'. Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Skip to my Lou, my darling, Lost my partner, what'll I do? Lost my partner, what'll I do? Lost my partner,what'll I do? Skip to my Lou my darlin'. Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou; Skip to my Lou, my darling. 'Red River Valley' is a sentimental song, which Avery calls a tear-jerker. From this valley they say you are gain' Now we'll miss your sweet face and bright smile You will take with you most of the sunshine That has brightened our pathway a while. Now I've promised you darling that never Would a Vlord from my lips cause you pain i"or my life is yours now forever If you would but love me again. Then come sit by my side if you love me Do not hasten to bid me adieu Just remember the Red River Valley And the one who has loved you so true. 'The Cowboy's Lament' is listed by Laws under Ballads of Cowboys and Pioneers, BI. This song was derived from the British broadside ballad 'The Unfortunate Rake.' As I walked out on the streets of Laredo As I walked out in Laredo one day I spied a poor cowboy all wrapped in white linen All wrapped in white linen and cold as the clay. Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly And play the death march as they carry me along Take me to the green valleYL~d there place the sad For I'm a young cowboy and 1 know I've done wrong. 16 oer me Gayle: Have you always lived around here? Avery: Now, I wuz borned in a little rural community outside of Duluth, Ga., and lIve picked cotton all of my life mostly what time I wasnlt settin' at the house picking the bangeI'. Gayle: How old are you? Avery: Well, I'll be 39 come last June. Mrs. Reese: Did you teach yourself to play? 17 Avery: Yeah, I was self-taught. I didn't have a teacher 'til I grew up. I guess lIS about 15 or 16 years old and I got a course through mail to learn to play the violin, but I learned to play the fiddle. Mrs. Reese: Well, you have, I know you have brothers and sisters, and they all play instruments. Avery: Some, yes. Mrs. Reese: It kinda runs in the family. I remember when you were a little boy. We'd go to your house on Sunday afternoon, and you would, uh, we' cl beg you to play the fiddle for us but you'd say, "as long as you don't look at me," and you Id go in the bedroom and close the door and play your fiddle behind the closed door,for us. Do you remember that? Avery: Yeah. I sound better thata way now. All my informants were very cordial and eager to perform; they just did not like to perform for the tape recorder. I have known all the informants all my life. They are lIll related to me, so I did not have any new a.nd strange experiences. We did have a hard time recording Thurmond. His children refused to be quiet and continued to slam doors while we were recording. Mrs. J. F. Cheeley lives at 1256 Rock Springs Street, Forest Park, Georgia, and Thurmond lives about a mile away at Lt165 Tara Drive, Forest Park. These two are fairly easy to find from the S.E. J!:xpressway. Avery Lester lives on Route Lt, Lawrenceville, Ga., in Gwinnett County. He is harder to find than the other two. Take 1-85 north to At,kinson Road and turn left and go across the bridge. Avery's house is located on the left about a mile from the Expressway. 18 Bibliography IJEu"TtJ, (}. IVlalcolm, Jr. Phil(l,delphia: '.Phe 1964. Nntivo .lunorican :nalladrv. ,~~ ~~.",.~~> c . .,_,._. ,_ __ ~._. __"_,,._ .. ; '_"~_"_"~""""" ...... __ _.!J~, AmoricaJl l"olleloI'o Society, \'!11p;us, 1) oK $ j1J1LS,;I:g~A-l[lSL~:l~,}ll .:b"qlJLsgnlii SQ.JL~~1~:l!:[JJ~~1p ltins,-o, ])3,212. NeVI Brumnriok: I1utgors JJnivel'nity PrcSB, 19590 IIi \ I i I i I {1 - A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. 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. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.