My Grandfather Belonged to Thomas Jefferson

A slave tells his story

I was born in Virginia My mother was a slave My father was a slave We were all slaves all our lives

All I know they teach you is Master and Missus We didn’t know nothing Didn’t allow you to look at no books

We always slept on tha floor Night never came out You had nothing to do Work, work, work is all I know

It didn’t matter ‘bout you You’re afraid to say you’re tired Cos nobody want to die You hang, hang, hang tha tobacco

I remember one day One woman said No They tied her up to a tree And whipped her all night long

Nobody said nothing We couldn’t do nothing Just hang, hang, hang tha tobacco And pray for God to take her soul

My grandfather belonged to Thomas Jefferson