Sara Colquitt

Sara Colquitt was said to be more than a hundred years old when she was interviewed near Opelika, Alabama, nearly blind and helpless, cared for by a woman herself past eighty whom Sara's daughter hired while she worked in the fields. Sara was born in Richmond, Virginia, enslaved by Bill and Mary Slaughter, and had four siblings: Tate, Sam, Jennie and Tenner. She was sold once in Virginia and then brought to Alabama and sold from the block for $1,000 to Sam Rainey at Camp Hill.

She worked the fields every day from before daylight until nearly dark, taking her youngest baby with her and tying it up in a tree limb to keep off the ants and bugs while she hoed. She was also a spinner, made to turn out six cuts at a time, often at night, and cooked at the big house when company came. The overseer, Green Ross, was "mean, my goodness"; he would put people in the buck, tying their feet, and then whip them. She had two children, Lou and Eli. On Saturday nights they danced all night, patting and singing, and sometimes the mistress came down to watch.