Cynthia S. Terry interview with Bessie M. Scruggs (part one)

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 interview begins with Scruggs discussing what Christmas was like for her family growing up, including what they received as gifts and the foods they would eat. She also describes how her mother would kill and dress their Christmas turkey. At 2:44, she talks about attending school in a rural area. At 5:17, she talks about getting married and wedding rituals. At 8:10, Scruggs talks about her mother telling ghost stories and folk tales such as Cinderella, [Brer Rabbit], and Little Red Riding Hood. At 12:17 she talks about the process of making lye soap, as well as carding and spinning cotton to knit stockings, churning butter, and making molasses. At 18:40, she talks about rural medicine and doctors, as well as different plants and other natural remedies her family would use as medicine. At 23:44, Scruggs discusses what it was like to attend church, including what they would wear to church and the choir. Here she also talks about attending her first funeral and funerary rituals. At 34:51, she talks about housework such as how she would wash clothes outside, hang them on a clothesline, and ironing. At 36:44, she describes methods of cooking food over a fireplace. Here she also describes the kitchen, which was in a detached log cabin from her main house. She describes the layout of the main house, which the interviewer identified as a double pen house, and how her family would clean and store food in the house. At 43:05, Scruggs talks about what children would do for entertainment in the neighborhood, and tells a story about local boys who played musical instruments at outdoor barbeques. She then describes various superstitious sayings her mother taught her. At 46:35, Scruggs talks about root doctors and fortune tellers. She also briefly talks about how she would brush her teeth using fireplace coal. At 49:50, she talks about someone named Grandma Lula whose mother was enslaved and tells stories shes heard about enslaved peoples experiences. At 55:09, she describes experiencing a total solar eclipse in 1900, then goes on to talk about buying and using sewing patterns to make dresses. Bessie Mabry Scruggs (1885-?) was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Additional biographical information about Bessie Mabry Scruggs has not been determined. lye soap; spinning cotton; root doctors; 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 in a position to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials accurately. 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 language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete is ongoing. 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 emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.