Slave Narratives: Telling the Story of Slavery and Families

The WPA Federal Writers' Project (FWP) of the late 1930's provides us with more than 2,300 first person accounts of former slaves. The slave narratives, with their autobiographical accounts, can provide insight into the institution, rich context, and clues for family research. But how can we use this rich resource? Can they be relied upon? Some of the questions we will discuss are: What is the  history of the slave narratives?Before, during, and after the Civil War. When were they taken? Who were the interviewers? What are the limitations of the narratives? Where can I find the narratives? Offline and Online. How can they be used for research? Names of family members, names of plantations, owners, and their family members; birth, marriage and death information for individuals; context for daily life in particular places.