"When my daughter wuz big nough ter go ter school, I wanted ter 

larn, en I went ter school too.  I kin read en do my own writing',

but lately I'se so nervous dat my han' shakes so I doan do no writin' no 

more.  But I read mos' anything."

	"I guess folks allus will praise Lincoln, kaze he wiz er great

man;  but I nebber heard him 'fore I went ter Monticello.  Den I

heardwhat he done ter free de slaves, but I know dey had ter fight fer 

what dey got.  I allus felt proud of Booker T. Washington, en hated ter 

think of him havin' ter die."

	"I lived here en Springfield sence 1915, en I belong ter de Nawth

Street Church.  I got one daughter, Marthe Faghan, en day is now five 

generations of us livin right here inSpringfiled."

Interviewed at her granddaughter's home, 535 S. Center.St.

Editors Note:

	Anna Maria Coffee is estimated to be about 89 years old.

	She is a full black negro, white haired, and very short, being

four and one half feet tall.  She lived in  confortable home with his

granddaughter, and receives a Civil War widow's pension.
			

Works Progress Administration (WPA) Ex-Slave Narratives

Anna Maria Coffee, Ex-Slave Narrative