Document text
February 10, 193V
George and Bessie Derrick (Negro)
Maryland Avenue
Plant City* Florida
Tenant Farmer
Peal Diggs, writer (Negro)
Svelyn 'Nernst, reviser.
George and Bessie Dor:iek are tenant farmers. The 3 -acre farm they
rent from E. J. Marshall, overseer for tip Swift Company, is on the left
side of aryland it enters the Negri seetion of Plant City,
Florida.
I would see them working their land az I approaehed, but I had to
walk a quarterimils through rows of strawberries and morose ditehes
before I reached then. The fields all around were filled with workers,
sons picking strawberries and others planting new *reps.
George, wearing en old slouch hat tipped to the side of his head.
and *lean khaki pants, was pushing a hami plow. Its wife, Bessie, a stout
jelly, darkw.skinned woman, with short black pig tails protruding from under
a 1fIrge strew hat, leaned on a rake and wiped her forehead with a hand-
kerohler. George rinsed to shake hands and Bessie apologised for betlg
dirty when I greeted her.
Their dnester Bernie, same aerosL the field, and Bessie, explain-
ing that it waz 'ear quitting time and they were trying to get the rows
ready to plant tomatoes, said to her, wiltke tie gentleman up to t‘e house.
Berates, and we'll too his when ve some up. 1111t'd you plan for supApr?f,
II haven't thongbt about it.' Bernie, said.
foSnp?ese you kill that big *Ito *bloke*, 000k some tomatoes and some
cornbread cr biseuits, and a little riee.fq
Detracts fuld I left them working and went up to the house, a plain
weather•boarded place with a running vine growing en else end of the fro -t
2600J
poreh and a fwis oclortn1 flowers in pots at the ether end. In tle ymrd
there sere four little euthuuses built of cypress.
rhea George and aospAo we in from the field. George brought a ail
or linter from the pump. which Wads in the dUeof thegarden between
his h‘..use nnd s hnse next 400c. Beanie took off her strive hat, naying
s tired. aad wont to bathe her hands and facie in te wmter George
had poured into the glIwwnised besin.
I asked George if Le would show i t,o house before he bald is about
hinselN le assented tcid we step,ed from tl-e front ?civil into a bedroom.
lar6e double bed stood in one earners ft out ir tither. sre Mare three
trunks placed at Intervale against tAc tail!, and An old Viotrole nelr tab
tior ens oovorod iti cloth. There was an old.rw3hioned drocwr 1-aded
with toflot 'Articles 'd trinkets.
In the ether bedroom there mus elms ft double bed find Anclin ohe.
Clothes wera haagiag on mils driven into the mil. cloth stretalied
screws the oorner of Vle ro-4m nerved as a clothe@ closet. The smelled
walls had been lirod elth green ealsoutie which wa..; flaking off, left.ing
nnsightly looking "ate. .n old Uncle sewinvenebins near t -le leor was
covered with e °loth. Ihe roes were ()lean mno. the beds neatly mAdo.
In the baok a narroa,Itein exteTlod ftoross e breadth of the Awes°.
n tHe %moil several insurnnoto policies were tacked up. td 3ernice, nhe
was *poking sipper. at Id. parry plenty' of insurances t.,!tost the only
way we can look out f4r sick dtys. :'oor people like ns Can't rive ft;:j.
wasn't for street policies know mint we would dG.'
rn te kitcan is a lar7,0 eeud stove, t pile of mood beside it. a
3
refrigerator, two tablos, and a board clilad 4gPIhatt.Waie UtiCA OS
a washstand. Ono sash pan long from a nail. anotilor sais on ‘,14
in "re.r erlhe* the ea" haa6 P"8 and pane. At the south end of
the kitonea there was a eardboard bom used for wall /severing.
Oatsido, boosiue ta house, washtubs were balanoed on a *rule beneh.
'We have ne bathroom so we use toese tubs; our outhouse ls about 50
yards away from the holies, too. -No would liAr to hove a bottom one. If
it was my property I woad have one built by the goverment.'
He made himself ooafortable on an old trunk next to one of the out-
house's and be an to tell no his family history* hassle seated herself on
a box near tie (1or anA listeled while Bernie. aooksd mover.
91 ORS born in Kingston. J.-maloa. pr11 44 iaes. My pareh,s were
Daniel cad AM, Derrick., He is dead but my mother still lives in
Kingston* She has hefts, been to this country. I lived in t,le IsIscds
until I was 15 years old. Then I °am* to the litotes, landing in New
York .iy. Later I oameseutb to Sooria, 1,here I got work at a sawmill
in a plasm *salad Haywood* 8 falls* from WcFarow4 Osionia°
It took no long time to get on to this country's customs. I Me
SO used to the ewe we had Ali 7Angston. merss you have to live to 3p,)
war. I undorstand it is better now. Ton know Pow been here a long
time. When I first cams to Owercla, I hasi a hard time. Folks thowlit
was a sgeoehee* from Cieuth Carolina, but soma they learned me. I just
worked hard a.4 did my :,:ork well, ad L got along.
tam haw to farm before I ,au to the States. Cs do lots of
far -i16 In Jaz,ssioa. The altimeter is a litas warmer taro than you will
find here. In some motions where it 13 biter, it is 000ler. I like
4
Pleriereneemeontetits earn sliest.. It vosielltas eold for me
le leersIes but ny wife likes it there.
111n 1024 merod Rf family to Platt City. Bernie.. who
is 33 views 40.1AW Geer& JC*, she la ils and Albert were ell born In
Cowes. TIlsebeths rim lm only sits was been ben is Plant City.
"I attended Whoa 1*, the *est Indies at Iltgstuss spins us far
as the 4th zrades bat I've pleked up a great deal sines /Lys been in
the ;Amts.. I tried to keop my 4hIldrea It sasoel. They sent na far
a. the 1th spade here In Plant City. I realise nowt,oadvantezp d
*witsz, edneutien. It Is something everycne Should wre. eepeelally
where yen hare to bey and sell Wage. Yee got to fire behilal folks
now of days. I (dosed uti shames Alen I mine crhers; I had to lark
etas& I didn't have amens to hely as.
r4v wires sbe went as boas the etb grades If bed a letter
edeestIon I don't think I would be renting jest a few sores of lend.
nAltiring It sonsumes *ale house. res I eat btrdly take vAre of qv
ftalAVii now, it would r look like 11111 at autemdbile? The best I
est do Is to beep Isom food on the toblel. If as heft a sped season
we live n11003. IS not. we fere pretty bard.
owls to this pines It V43 all some op is weeds e,id
Mana.nn4 myself sot risht down to tuntness mn4 started to (dean nap.
;Al the eethoesue I built eyeaf. The mod did not oust smeary sseh.
The boards are the ends at Le timber out at the seenills and the bark
is still on them. A little rough. bet it was the best I Imaid de.
el 1014100% de anyWnlfteles these herd times but isms. I try to
beep seestbangspeeins on my 3 ewes all the tines One things you sea
sell earthing yea raise is this mations Atte. I get through with
oftemberries I hops to hews tomatoes easing es. I =poet to plant some
PaPPer also. Y.. I raise essueberes beans, eatn.dnO4 and esgareane.
*Daring the summer I gra/sonar' green.* Anne nneterd.* meet
potatoes. oad many more things needed for the hoes. Did you see'thea
fins coleus near tAm pig pes w%en you same la? $ens are large as a
golf ball. *upset to get move hogs att., we kill the one In t a book
yard.
*f made a mishabe by putting too mash fertiliser en my etsweberriee.
tb burned 'one of them set. they are cooing along aloe', new, sines we
erse had a little rain. I export to plek seme et thma tomorrow eerlies
are low today in pries's. The folks said they only get go a plat today.
They say so hp. You ean is. torywrself there is plemAy of lend.
around here to farm on.
*It I Waft swim some *ogenahles on his plaee I eeeliet made a
go et 144 With the help of Albert ani what little I make oft of these
3 acres elenr sometimes abr.At PAO. I have to pay mr. marshall 45
a year for the land. I pay his along as It Aon't be so hard on as at
the end of tLe year. Re is very aloe to USW In toot I think all ot
t: -.1e tenants like hie. "Ay fertiliser 0004 Ms 'mond US s year. tome
time is able to get great. The stramberry plants eset as #10.50,
but next year I hope to raise my own plants. I believe I oun semi out
better.
When I me is Georgia working at the smemill amp I me4d asks
fi.s$?t.flOawesk. I did better than that whoa I first *sae to
rlorlda. I worked up anial 1934 for te 14eIntose'sdarming. I Rade
#1.25 r 4 George „Jr.. does better, he makes #1.50 a day. I fully
believe an better off farming.'
Bilsele said. II love to farm. I *an stay set tame in the field
1 day long. we aro wiry lucky to hire our land oloar; it took sOMS
w,rk to do it. too. We have to put fertiliser to it if we want to
push our orops fait. After all you get out of work what NO.: put into
it. That's wk we nark so hard on this little gam,. to sir, there is
not a lmsy bone Lz my body. You OWN that fat hog out tire i the pea.
well, we'll soon kill it arid smoke the meat down. That beats i.!:oing to
Ve store for everything you want. we keep him in that small pen to
keep him fat. If he had larger lipase he would be thin from rutz.ing so
mush. gy daddy taught a. how to raise hogs task in Genrgia. iome
people thiAk they ming to have a hole field for them o run in4 and
tless goodhese they'll eat up all Cm slop you'll earry them. They're
like peoples the more they run the more they eat.
'They tell no down on the smolt Coast they do not have to use fer-
tilizer to make orov from. but I believe I would r-ther be on this
side,' George interrupted.
After a short pause he said. *Did I tell you that Albert is in the
COC Camp nt Olustee. Florida? He's been there sins. 1936 nnd Is very
good about ilaving part of his pay sent home every month. Oeorge Jr.,
was Is the easy too, but he works on the big PoIntesh Vivo now.'
George Jr., a mob Urger man than his father, om;la in just then
and it URS evident that he bmd overheard the latter p rt of our Oc,Dro
vereatioJi. for ,e tii ei MO in otx,p in tAraeota riret. but I was
transferrad to the eamp nt (goatee. stayed there nearly to years
ayi /Aced it. I took on weight while I was tAare. I weigh 185 TJunde
nue ald rim a fe,t tall.'
77121 Reaper toward his Tytrents Mows that he Is devoted to them and
tely as a 7-!-.ole Ir to orial, alth9r.h tAl fat- r is Inclined tc
be more seri,Ata than the rst ,11g1Aly Iirt11412 ascent is acre
notleeehle.
Bernie., in t neAt flowered gingham, natl to tho ar several timce
ftic bronth cf rti. rm from bending over the hot wood.stove4 perepi•
ration ato(4 on her fort -head and upper lie. ease she joined the ;ionverantionf ml don't like towerk OS Le farm. I was raised OD a M of
them nd that ne:- be t'r e °sauce f my Islike. Only ntorday I picked
rtrawber.les, and. just look st ny hands* It' s yoe bask sere when you
first start, too.
only beer home two wks A I InteA to stay several is
lcrwzer. t've been workl,?rr in_-nyerosay Geor. ie. at the 7nivereal steer!
Teondry. f eun do most kind of vork, like running an elevnkr, pastry
ooclno housemaid, nnq iftundry
ql like 4c,rLAg in ft larcer place. I don"t like 1-InIt ity, it's
toe dead for leo tore's ro !Arco to go. Theaters'. we ZABL)t to ape a
gocd pioture :et soca of our by frieads to te e as to nkeiend.
don't think I will mnrr7 soon, that _.crt of rin,s In ay ftatily.,
Goor;Le sid; ,rt.s time for y_,J to rvirr:i.P
Pliot e. I litre y zpod clothes n 1 ;:y own mAley. If yi,u're
NO
married smastineerat It have else things. There 9410.a foe alas
toys it this plums Simetiees oas will same around to sit mad leek at
As eLto termed to her asek114. klisaboth. Lb* daywarsoid• same rah.,
stag around tni, beasts She had aa a red alia him* giashka dress. skadali
Os her feet. and a straw hat an 40, head. hsstotai for a moseat *vans
es. them said is a hawse raises *I've got a oold.2 Basuto, oarao oat
and at her to the store. town was a natant of quiet us we matched has
ran does the read this lassie skids
know lots of poepla tat yvis know in rayeress. t use
there every weak end to do ear *pin& Mb weld go to tha ookred
trod store supsd by ars flarrist. Me had a dry*go-de depar4n4int 3ext
door to hls plies. I boat all of ay gieghmas fres thee. fluky were
miss peoples aad Dr. Marries wifo was se Jr1441 ft ass to -art hies
times La Georgie. I like it ap therso
little giri ease into the yurd Lad stoppod in froc,t of Lessis
sayings *Mama want to kaow if you gain to ohkrau
*Tell yeer meth's. 1.11 he ready as soon as I eat ay aapearor
roads answered.
'I thoagOtt you sere so tired.* teeerge said WAY*
nos aro never tee tired to serve Cede *seal* said wit dignity,
althea the Spirit bith you yea forget all about yoe tiredness sa
haves sped use and smaetines norshlp until eleven egelsek. we
Samotified talks serve God ail o4is ties.s
sr. all. except Ofterio, Jr.. and Saralee, haishS to t cherst of
Oede the BelLemmtammehst Omens sude Vornies is u bomber of the
triszloperr Oftptiet Marsh.*
ill don't belong be may eherthe Coors. J90, wide 41 bey join
soots &Lys Out, t,ot tt:-iftnetified Mu:AO HO 14044WA hi4 looked afoot*
icesbelp tcatrd BORAS. OW bridled little &Au Kaseored quieklre *Rs
just as good un ftrp.r
h/Ams to shoot too web inlianw's clutrehe-& George sap19:41eed end
iLt6hOd good.onteredly *t BOS410 whc soiled unwillingly.
The childron tried to perseedo theIr nattor to stey
'clot but 3:.0 ror:sed, put an her .Ate and idemihr frland owls by. left
wIth her.
tftor Bessie lefts nerniee etilod t%. rest of e'=.0 Pally to be
suar. The Wale, with its red clothes. in thq; kitoidoe. .Thot only
lit oule fro;11 Lop sackeditlaokenol cilInoey tut s21fteed at
one and of tils -tables
perspirmtiAs free r forehead thr.uz4oAt tbe
LlassIno, dnuvutly; =Lord Live os ft ,nd atr.igth x qke us
tbftnkful- or oturdrAly frond.
Vlisftbath sad, "Maly up i',11 help moo plusses i'm hmn&rY**
BOriios tAsked shk !npcd t:.ø ilttes rLt taaiickon• :too,
StaVe tel too* *-1 brown bisacits. rest alytnIn6 to oftb.
rinse I ha *Lief cook r,nd Lot!.:lo 'Amolitr I trr tt love good 'seals for the
ftLly.Tasy ere zocd of.InCrY th‘y come
Ms ;laterally eat laOs of varetftbles. In G3 of t%0 Ov.ts,Q11•114
home erleet filled Att. comled &ode pet up by -lother• nhemts them
in that big pot near ts eorner of the house. Tomatoes, ears, okra,
Finzlish peas, peaches, orange lermalade, stravberries, eabbages, beans
and piekles. They keep fine if you know hoe to properly *an the.. Did
you notice the hills in the yard when you same lm? ne have swot
tatoes in one of thee and in tae other we have sugareene. We keep thee
covered over to keep the bugs from them.'
'All of us have good health,' George said between mouthful', *we
never had a looter. When the kids were burn we had midwives to mama.
There are plenty of things growing out there in the field that will
ours anyt_ing. Beek in my country we used lots of herb medicine. I
believe we know more about herbs than the folks over here. we didn't
know abet the k.nd of medicine tat they use here in this country.
*We keLp hi ltay bemuse vs have plenty of good rood. We like
°blokes' and eat plenty of them. Sometimes we get two derma ei:„;s a clay
when they lay.' He rose from the table, 'Gems out and miaow you
where I keep them.'
Next to the large shed used to Lore the canned goods is an open
shed for the packing a::d *rat ag of strawberries. Besides this shed
are tee oaloken yards, in one of whioh were Leghorn' and Ihite locks.
'The ohickens are of ,A;od breed,' George told me. 'but we .A110
tat otsr wire eaolcore to keep them housed up because they fiht so.4
*Does George help you with aoy of t -o work around here' I asked.
'I y son chnet like to work around the home, and as soon as night
pones he makes for one of them jot*" up town. We have plenty of them
in this plum. Lir* here is sort of wild, but the people all seem to
11
get along.
*It's tee bad begat's, dart 6 this time of the year it is hard to
get help. Even the little tots are in the field trying to make money.
A white man from the Oast Coasts owns the land next to the field whore
I was working this afterglows, and he helps as sometimes. He's setting
out eueumbers an since I help him now and than, he returns the favor.
People that ean afford it go to Tanpa and Lakeland to do their
buying on Saturday nights. I wish you could is. the people uptown here
en Saturday nighs, they're as thick as bees. Folks oones from all
around here to town. I don't like to go shopping but sonobody has to
go and bring the stuff book.'
*What do you do for reoreation. George?'
I hang around the house when I've finishe my day's work. In fiat
you will feel like hanging around after you've put in 8 day's work in
the field. hardly go any plait.. Several Wes last sewer I went to
see a baseball game. Folks like baseball around here. Plant City boys
usually :eve a good teen. That's the bigsest fan they have down hors.0
*De you vote George? '1111 t do you think of the present administra-
tion anYmeq.* I asked as I rose to c$4.
*No sir, I have never voted is this country. I do believe in the
form of zovernment we have now. The different things they have to help
the people is good. Like the Relief, that Seidel Seearity, and that
late one that pays you when you can't work. Bet that don't tough us farmers.
I don't think /Ill wv3. vote, I Just don't anderstand polities.*
I took lay have and George a,id Elisabeth walked to the oar with me.
come any time, gla„, to have you.' mere his parting words.