Document text
174.a..k44
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
STATE New York
NAUE OF WORKER Vivian Morris
ADDREST 225 West 130 Street
DATE I May 16, 1939
SUBJECT Unemployed Division Abyssinia Church
1. Date and time of interview
2. Place of interview
3. Name and address of informant
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in
touch with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms,
each bearing the proper headinL and the number to which the material
refers.)
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE New York
NAVE OF WORKER
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
Vivian Morris
225 West 130 Street
May 16, 1939
Unemployed Division
FOLKLORE
NEVI YORK
Abyssinia Church
'Tain't fair, nope, ttain't---the way they runs things
here. Seems you gotta belong to a Church before you gits
a job. Whutisa idear a that? Didn' yUh hear whut she just
ast me? I give her me whole life's histlry an' she asts
me glib like---1Whut Church, please?' Whut's 'at gotta do
with it? How cameyUh gotta git religion before yuh can
gits yuhself a job? Anyhow whut's a Church gotta do with
me bein1 outa work? If they's gonna git yuh work why ast
so many fool
comb? -It's
Yeh, I
questions eyein, yuh whole histlry with a fine
rainin' outside.
gotta trade ---plumber. Been at it a nice
coupla years. ---Member of a union? No, lady, can't say
so. How come I am'? I'll tell yuh---just fifty bucks
col' cash stan's between me ana union. I ain1 speakin1
agains' 'em but fifty bucks is a lotta dough ant I aint got
anywhere near fifty bucks.
I got two kids an' if you don' think it takes dough
to keeps their mouths with food an' cloes on their shou11ers
pith got a good luess, yes, mam! They needs shoes right now.
2.
Jus' think whut fifty bucks could buy for me an' me kids
fifty bucks: I aint on relief. I'm a janitor, an'
man: I'm sick a dat too. Dat's Why I'm here. We lives ma
basement. It am' no place for kids t'live in. We gotta
git outa the cellar. 'Taint fair for kids. Them kids got
a good mind ant it ain't right to keep 'em in a basement.
Ma boy's fifteen last month. Good swimmer ---gonna be a
champ when he's growed up---yessir, lady, a champeen sum day.
Ain' never yet had a Negro champ swimmer. He's gonna be it.
Yes, mam, I'm James Kelly. I does laborinl work; Sixty
cents a hour? O.K., I'll take it.---'Tain't fair, so help
me God! I'm a plumber by trade ---pays Ileven fifty a day.
No I am' in the union ---an/ I am' gonna start scabbinl.
---Me kids won't stall' for it I tell yuh right now. Them kids
are plenty bright. They kin teach me lotsa things.
One thing sure ---there am' no heaven, so I can't sit
down when I git to heaven. I always thought I would. I done
scuffle so much down here I hopes me kids don' have t'scuffle
like I has an' like I'm doinl.
Beinl black sure is a curse
but beint poor is sure worse.
I gotta be gittin' mam. This here job's out in Staten
Island ---a long way fum here, Glbye.