Bright angel, bright angel, come change my name, O angel come change my name. Come change my name from Nature to Grace, O angel come change my name.
Sweet Jesus, sweet Jesus come change my name, O Jesus come change my name, Come change my name from Nature to Grace, O Jesus come change my name.
If a seeker gets to Heaven before I do, Look out for me, I'm on my way too. Shout, shout the Heaven-bound King! Shout, shout I'm on my way!
If a brother gets to Heaven before I do, Look out for me, I'm on my way too. Shout, shout the Heaven-bound King! Shout, shout I'm on my way!
=FANNIE JONES= 37--12th Street Augusta, Georgia
Written By: Emily Powell Augusta, Georgia
Edited By: John N. Booth WPA Residencies No. 6 & 7 Sept. 1, 1938.
=Fannie Jones= Ex-Slave, Age 85 37--12th St. Augusta, Georgia
Fannie Jones lives in a ramshackle, two-story, rooming house near the banks of the Savannah River. She is an old Negress with iron gray hair and a gingercake complexion. Her ill-fitting old dress was none too clean, and her bare feet exposed toe nails almost a half-inch long. Fannie apparently hadn't a tooth in her head, but she was munching some bread.
The old Negress thought the purpose of the visit was to see about an old age pension for her, and she was very much disappointed when she learned the real reason; however, she invited her visitor into a bedroom. This place was much too dark, and the interview finally took place on the back porch where an old cat was made to get out of the only chair. Fannie settled herself on the doorsteps, while the visitor fanned flies and gnats with one hand and took notes with the other.
"I was born on Marse Jim Dubose's plantation 'bout de year 1853," she began. "My Marster and Mistiss was de overseer and his wife. You see, honey, I was born in de overseer's house. When my Ma was 12 year old she was give to de overseer's wife, Miss Becky Ann, when she married. My Marster was named Jesse Durden. I never did see Marse Jim Dubose's house nor none of de slave quarters, and I don't know nothin' 'bout dem or none of his Niggers. I jus' stayed in de house and waited on Marster and Mistiss. I cleaned up de house, made de beds, churned for Mistiss, and made fires for Marster. My Ma, she cooked for Marster and Mistiss, cleaned up de house, and waited on Mistiss 'cause she was a invalid.