Born in Slavery : An Interview with Charlie Williams

Interview with Charlie Williams

I found this interview shocking, but not because it was a graphic account of whipping and abuse by slave owners, but rather the opposite.
It was shocking for me, to see an account from a slave's perspective, in which we are told that Nat Williams, the land owner, didn't whip Charlie's parents. We also see him call Williams "nice", as after his wife's death, he lived with the former slaves, after they were freed.
Charlie's family seemed to have a good relationship with Williams, or as good as a relationship between a slave owner and slaves could be, as Charlie tells the interviewer that "Mr. Williams kept us well protected."
Another shocking truth is the fact that Charlie never encountered the Ku Klux Klan, which was incredibly fortunate.
The sad reality, however, is that Charlie, after 'escaping' slavery, he remains in poverty. He says "I have no home. I am a widower. I have no land."
This emphasises the hardships and disadvantages faced by black people, in 1936, over 70 years after they, and their families, escaped slavery.