I came into this with the question: What is the transition from a slave to a free citizen like? Fountain Hughes is a Charlottesville, Virginia born slave who was birthed by Mary Hughes on May 10th, 1948. He worked at the Monticello farm with his mother, and brother. He states mentions that his grandfather “belonged” to Thomas Jefferson and his master would treat him and the other slaves well. However, Hughes’ experience tells a different story. They were not given shoes until age 13, they had no rest or break during work; they would work through sickness, fatigue, and malnourishment. He often references his treatment to that of a dog. “If I was to be put back into slavery now, I would take a gun and end it myself.” He said when speaking about the experience. Although Fountain talks about how drastically his life changed once he was free, it was not an easy transition. He mentions that the first couple weeks of freedom he and his brother had no place to go, no place to sleep, and nothing to eat; they had nothing nor a clue of what to do. Their first couple weeks of freedom they would just find any random car in any random spot and if it was unlocked, they had a place to sleep. Luckily their mother, Mary Hughes, had a home in Baltimore where she allowed them to stay but had to pay rent. At first I thought there was no way they would be able to afford it with the eventual $1.00 a day wages, but the rent was so cheap their mother only requested $1 a month from each of them (which is equal to about $10.00 today. I could not find any corresponding stories in our readings however, the reading in this ling describes his life on the Monticello property, as well as his family history, and other stories from slaves that have had similar backgrounds and situations as he did. ( https://www.monticello.org/getting-word/people/fountain-hughes ) 1
My timeline ( file:///Users/dandami4gmail.com/Downloads/Fountain%20Hughes%20Timeline%20(1)/od1.html ) puts all of his most cherished and valuable memories into chronological order. This interview helped me answer my question because he talks about the horrors of slavery and how it helped shape him as a free citizen. I love how he initially talks about how he never takes handouts, never asks for a loan, and never pays with credit. He prides himself on a lifetime of “If I want this item, I will work and pay for it in cash once I have the money.” He is humble, smart, hardworking, and kind. He holds no debt, once he was free due to the abolishment of slavery in 1964, he worked and made a living. I thought this interview gave good insight on how different life is now versus the 1800s. The interview was also interesting because it was made in 1949 so the quality of the audio was almost impossible to understand. His story puts into perspective how life is meant to be cherished and to be grateful for the things you have.
