Interview: Reese, Bessie
Item
Identifier
Mss-0282, Tape 69-70
Title
Interview: Reese, Bessie
Type
Sound
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Source
Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina Collection
Rights
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.
Date
1989-12-13
Description
Bessie Reese was born in 1898 in Central, SC. She was the daughter of William and Martha Singleton Garvin. Although she doesn't provide first names in the interview, she states that her first husband was from the Gantt family; her most recent marriage brought her into the Reese family.
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:40-9:35--Mrs. Reese gives a brief family history before describing the ownership status of her family's farm in regards to the sharecropping agreement along with the crops that were most commonly raised. She mentions a few of her relatives from her first a second husbands (Mr. Gantt and Mr. Reese respectively). Mrs. Reese's great-grandfather was the local gentleman everyone knew as "Free" Joe. She can recall the older members talking about slavery experiences that were harsh, but can no longer remember any specific stories.
9:41-16:40--Mrs. Reese recalls common jobs that were available to black men, women, and young people when she was growing up. She goes on to describe where her family shopped, including what items were commonly purchased as well as her family's use of the credit system during the planting season. She briefly makes comment on educational issues in the black community.
16:44-31:35--Many family possessions from her childhood such as quilts, etc. were destroyed in a house fire. Aspects surrounding the flu epidemic of 1917-1918 are discussed; her husband became ill and neighbors were afraid to visit her home during this time. She briefly mentions the employment of a few family members before turning the discussion towards local church life and her membership with Abel Baptist Church. Reverend Williams is the first minister she can remember.
31:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:07-9:24--Camp meetings in Oconee, Pendleton, and Central are recalled. She states that they were usually held in October. She goes on to describe the activities of singing conventions and local church groups. She cannot recall white people ever worshipping alongside blacks. She briefly discusses her 15-year employment with the Clemson Laundry before mentioning a few local doctors.
9:30-17:26--Regarding education, Mrs. Reese describes where she attended, the grades she completed, the length of the school day and year, and the fact that her parents could read. She was married after the 5th grade at the age of seventeen.
17:30-31:36--Mrs. Reese first describes the books, newspapers, and magazines that were commonly available in her home as a child before making comment on the differences between white and black schools as well as the voting practices of blacks.
31:40--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07--Mrs. Reese is discussing a lynching incident mid-sentence. She shares what little she knew of an incident that occurred in Walhalla, SC. In addition, she briefly touches on aspects of how law enforcement treated blacks when she was younger.
3:43--Black marriage relationships were not unlike those of any other local community; some were good, some were bad. She points out that women didn't take up for themselves in those days. Mrs. Reese herself gives the impression that she was always a strong willed woman who never put up with disrespect from men. She notes that both her husbands were good men.
5:56--Mrs. Reese recalls the story of how she met her first husband Mr. Gantt. Both their families worked on the same farm. They didn't have a wedding; rather the preacher just came to the house to perform the ceremony.
11:05--Mrs. Reese discuses black/white relationships, and how things have changed over the years. Even though the two races have reconciled many differences and now generally strive to work together, she doesn't agree with whites and blacks getting married and having families. She has seen too many situations in which neither community accepted mulatto children. There is old friction between the black and mulatto communities, because many mulattos "acted white," and strove to attain a higher social status than what blacks were allowed. Her family does have partial Native American ancestry, through her great-grandfather "Free" Joe.
18:07--Mrs. Reese never went to Anderson or Greenville when she was younger.
21:37--Celebrations such as Christmas and July 4th are recalled. Birthdays and anniversaries were not celebrated.
24:25--She really admired her father because her mother died very young and left him to care for the family.
27:14--She wishes that opportunity and advancement had been given to blacks sooner, when she would have been young enough to take advantage of them.
29:44--In her estimation the Civil Rights Act has been extremely helpful, but fears that the younger generation may fail to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded them. She admits that it took many blacks a considerable amount of time to have faith in many of the progressive movements of white politicians on account of the fear of disappointment, which had occurred so many times before.
31:40--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
00:05--Mrs. Reese briefly discusses some of the achievements of Martin Luther King before giving her opinion of Jesse Jackson. She recalls meeting her second husband; she was nine years his elder. He had died circa 1985. She then points out to the interviewer a few people depicted in photographs that she owns.
10:50--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:40-9:35--Mrs. Reese gives a brief family history before describing the ownership status of her family's farm in regards to the sharecropping agreement along with the crops that were most commonly raised. She mentions a few of her relatives from her first a second husbands (Mr. Gantt and Mr. Reese respectively). Mrs. Reese's great-grandfather was the local gentleman everyone knew as "Free" Joe. She can recall the older members talking about slavery experiences that were harsh, but can no longer remember any specific stories.
9:41-16:40--Mrs. Reese recalls common jobs that were available to black men, women, and young people when she was growing up. She goes on to describe where her family shopped, including what items were commonly purchased as well as her family's use of the credit system during the planting season. She briefly makes comment on educational issues in the black community.
16:44-31:35--Many family possessions from her childhood such as quilts, etc. were destroyed in a house fire. Aspects surrounding the flu epidemic of 1917-1918 are discussed; her husband became ill and neighbors were afraid to visit her home during this time. She briefly mentions the employment of a few family members before turning the discussion towards local church life and her membership with Abel Baptist Church. Reverend Williams is the first minister she can remember.
31:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:07-9:24--Camp meetings in Oconee, Pendleton, and Central are recalled. She states that they were usually held in October. She goes on to describe the activities of singing conventions and local church groups. She cannot recall white people ever worshipping alongside blacks. She briefly discusses her 15-year employment with the Clemson Laundry before mentioning a few local doctors.
9:30-17:26--Regarding education, Mrs. Reese describes where she attended, the grades she completed, the length of the school day and year, and the fact that her parents could read. She was married after the 5th grade at the age of seventeen.
17:30-31:36--Mrs. Reese first describes the books, newspapers, and magazines that were commonly available in her home as a child before making comment on the differences between white and black schools as well as the voting practices of blacks.
31:40--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07--Mrs. Reese is discussing a lynching incident mid-sentence. She shares what little she knew of an incident that occurred in Walhalla, SC. In addition, she briefly touches on aspects of how law enforcement treated blacks when she was younger.
3:43--Black marriage relationships were not unlike those of any other local community; some were good, some were bad. She points out that women didn't take up for themselves in those days. Mrs. Reese herself gives the impression that she was always a strong willed woman who never put up with disrespect from men. She notes that both her husbands were good men.
5:56--Mrs. Reese recalls the story of how she met her first husband Mr. Gantt. Both their families worked on the same farm. They didn't have a wedding; rather the preacher just came to the house to perform the ceremony.
11:05--Mrs. Reese discuses black/white relationships, and how things have changed over the years. Even though the two races have reconciled many differences and now generally strive to work together, she doesn't agree with whites and blacks getting married and having families. She has seen too many situations in which neither community accepted mulatto children. There is old friction between the black and mulatto communities, because many mulattos "acted white," and strove to attain a higher social status than what blacks were allowed. Her family does have partial Native American ancestry, through her great-grandfather "Free" Joe.
18:07--Mrs. Reese never went to Anderson or Greenville when she was younger.
21:37--Celebrations such as Christmas and July 4th are recalled. Birthdays and anniversaries were not celebrated.
24:25--She really admired her father because her mother died very young and left him to care for the family.
27:14--She wishes that opportunity and advancement had been given to blacks sooner, when she would have been young enough to take advantage of them.
29:44--In her estimation the Civil Rights Act has been extremely helpful, but fears that the younger generation may fail to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded them. She admits that it took many blacks a considerable amount of time to have faith in many of the progressive movements of white politicians on account of the fear of disappointment, which had occurred so many times before.
31:40--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
00:05--Mrs. Reese briefly discusses some of the achievements of Martin Luther King before giving her opinion of Jesse Jackson. She recalls meeting her second husband; she was nine years his elder. He had died circa 1985. She then points out to the interviewer a few people depicted in photographs that she owns.
10:50--Audio ends.
Subject
African Americans -- History -- South Carolina -- Pickens County
Interviewer
Lick, Wendy
Interviewee
Reese, Bessie
Spatial Coverage
Clemson, Pickens County, South Carolina, United States, 34.68403, -82.81232, SC, 7169764, [34.68403, -82.81232] [id:7169764]
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
