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11JUNE2012BODYOFCHRISTNEWSx1cIfkidstodayonlyknewandhadanunderstandingofwhathappenedmanyyearsagotheywouldpulluptheirpantsandactlikegentlemenandthegirlslikeladiesbecausewewentthroughsomuchtogettowherewearetoday.x1dx14ElderErvinJudkinsInauniqueinterviewwithadirectdescendantofaslaveBodyofChristNewsspokewithElderErvinJudkinsthe77year-oldgrandsonofDarrelJudkinswhowasaslave.GenerationofSlavesx1cJudkinsx1dwasthenameoftheslavemasterthathisgrandfathertookafterhewasfreed.ElderJudkinswasjust13yearsoldhimselfwhenhisgrandfatherdiedat101yearsofagebuthespentalotoftimewithhimandhisgrandmothergrowingupandtheytoldhimabouttheirlivesasslaves.GrandfatherJudkinsacknowledgedthatthereweregoodwhitepeoplewhohelpedtheslavesbutslaveryitselfwasaverybrutallife.Amanhadtobeextremelyhumbleorruntheriskofgoingtobedatnightandnotwak-ingupinthemorningsincedisobeyingordisre-spectingaslaveownercouldresultinbeingkilledduringthenight.AsaslaveGrandfatherJudkinslivedonafarm.RaisedinWarrenNorthCarolinaheleftthereandwenttoClaytonNorthCarolinawherehemarriedandbeganfarming.Lifeasaslavewasharshwithlonghoursandwhiteslaveownerswhippedandbeattheslavesregularlyiftheydidnotdowhattheslavemasterswanted.GrandfatherJudkinswasabletoescapesomeofthisharshtreat-mentbecausehebecameapreacherwhichkepthiminfromtheharshfieldworkandalsoallowedhimtogainhisfreedomwhenhewasabout40or50yearsold.Evensoslaveslivedaharshsharecroppinglifewhichmeantthattherewashardlyeveranymoneyforblackslaveswhorentedlandfromslavemastersmakingitdifficultforthemtoprovidebasicneedsfortheirfamilies.Therewasnoelectricitynorun-ningwaterinhousesonlywellsandnoplumbingsotoiletswereoutsideinouthouses.Siblingsworehand-me-downsandhadonlyonesetoffieldclothesandonesetofchurchschoolclothes.GrandfatherJudkinsx19familyplantedcorncot-tonandtobacconevercertainhowthecropswouldturnoutespeciallyiftherewasnotenoughrainorifbollweevilsattackedthecropsmakingarelativelysmallyieldevensmaller.Ifweatherconditionswerenotfavorableslaveswouldyieldaslittleasonebaleofcottonoronebaleoftobaccowhichwasnotevenenoughtopaytherentontheland.Therewereeventimeswhenbollweevilsattackedcropsresultinginthelossofanentirecrop.SlaveshadtobekeptpsychologicallycontrolledandGrandfatherJudkinstoldhisgrandchildrenthatacommonmethodusedtoemotionallybreaktheslavesx19confidenceandkeepthemsubservientwastonotallowthemtoeverlooktheslaveownerinthefaceifhesawhimonthestreethehadtotiphishat.Whenasharecropperapproachedtheslavemasterx19shousehehadtokeephisheaddowninfearofwhatthelandownerwoulddotohim.Maleslavesalsodidnoteverwalkonthesamesideofthestreetasawhitewomanwerenotallowedtolookatherorevenspeaktoherandshedidnotspeaktothem.Ifaslavebrokethisruletheslaveownerwouldsendhischildrentowhipandbeatslavesandtheirentirefamily.Onceinawhileaslavewouldkillthecruelslavemasterandthenruntoabigcity.Localsher-iffsdidnothuntforthemsincemaleslaveswerequickly40-50milesoutofrange.GrandfatherJudkinsalsowitnessedlynchinginhisday.InFairvilleNorthCarolinatheyregularlylynchedpeopleandinCharlestonSouthCarolinathewholetownwouldcomeouttoseethelynchings.Publiclynchingswithalargemobofwhiteonlook-erswasatacticusedtodeteranyslavesfromcon-sideringdisobeyingoruprisingagainstcruelslavemasters.AccordingtoGrandfatherJudkinsblacksharecroppershadtodowhateverslaveownerstoldthemtodox13whatevertheyweretold.x1cTherewerenolawsorcourtstoprotectusbecausewereallydidnx19tcountx13asablackpersonyoudidnx19tcount.x1dDuetotherigorsofslaveryGrandfatherJudkinsregardededucationasveryimportantandwantedhisfamilytogetaneducationinordertohaveabetterlife.Slaveswhocouldnotreadweresometimestaughtbyslavemasterstoreadforthepurposeofcontrol-lingwhattheyreadandsaid.Slavemasterswouldteachslavestoreadandtellthemthemeaningofawordaccordingtowhattheslavemasterwantedittomeanx13thiswasespeciallytrueoftheslaveswhowouldpreachtheBible.TheNextGenerationSharecroppersElderErvinJudkinsx19fatherwasalsoasharecrop-perandJudkinsrecalledlivingona40-50acrefarmwithhisfathermotherandthreesistersandabrother.HisfatherworkedthelandandpickedcottonduringSeptemberandOctoberandwouldtakeittothelocalmillforprocessingandpayment.Aftertheownerreceivedmoneyfortheamountofcottonpickedhewouldgivehalfoftheprofitstotheslaveswhichwasneverenoughtoprovideforthefamily.Paymentfortobaccocropswasevenlesssincethelandownersimplygavetheslaveswhathefelttheyshouldhave.Blacksharecropperswhowereunhappywiththisunfairsystemwereforcedtolivewithitsincemovingtoanotherplacewasdif-ficultandtheywouldbefacedwiththesamesitua-tionelsewhere.Asinslaverytimessharecropperswhohadbecomedisillusionedwithsharecroppingonsouthernfarmsduetoswindledwagesx1cstoleawayx1datnightandrannorthwardtothebigeasterncitiesofNewYorkChicagoBaltimorePhiladelphiaandVirginiaforabetterlife.Theystoleawayatnightsoasnottoletthelandownerknowoftheirplanswhichcouldresultindeath.Whensharecroppersorslaveswereabletostealawaythemanwouldleavehisfamilyandrunnorthwardatnighttoabigcityandlatersendforthewifeandfamilysixmonthstoayearlater.Inthemeantimetheslavemasterinquiringaboutthemissingslavewastoldbythewifethatshedidnotknowwherehehadgone.Thisdidnotusuallyresultinanyharmtothewomansinceslavemastersdidnotusuallyharasswomenslaves-hisfocuswastocontrolandbreakdownthemaleslaves.TheblackcommunitywouldtakecareofthewomanandherchildrenwhilethemanwasgoneandJudkinsx19fatherrecalledthatsometimesx1cnicewhitepeopledidtoo.x1dJudkinsx19fathervividlyrecalledslavedaysofthex1cfieldniggerx1dandthex18houseniggerx1dtellingofthedif-ferencesinhowtheyweretreated.Thex1cfieldniggersx1dweremostlydarkandbigwhereasthex1chousenig-gersx1dwerelight-skinnedslavesx13theladywouldcookandthemanwasthebutler.Theselight-skinnedslavesweretheoffspringofslavemasterswithyoungslavegirlssincetheslavemasterhadsexwithwhom-everhepleased.Stillhouse-niggersalwayshadtogothroughthebackdoorx13nomatterwhatOccasionallyslaveownerswouldprovidehutsorshacksinthebackofhispropertyforthemtolivein.Ontheotherhandlifeforthedark-skinnedslaveswhoworkedthefieldswasnotsoprivileged.Thesehadtobebigstrongmentohelptheslavemasteraccomplishhisfarmingtaskssuchasmovingtreesworkingwithmulesplantingandharvestinglongtedioushours.Throughoutthesouthitwasacommonpracticeforslaveownerstotakeabigstrongblackmanandmatchhimupwithabigstrongblackwomantohavehardyoffspringtoworkthefieldsbringinginalargerincomeforslaveowners.ElderJudkinsx19fatheralsotoldhimthatitbecameacommonprac-ticeforwhiteslaveownerstodatethex1cnicerlookingx1dblackwomenbutonlyatnightsothatnoonecouldseethem.Ifawhitemanpickedupablackwomanshecouldsitinthefrontseatofhiscarwithhimbutifawhitewomanpickedupablackmanduringthedaytotakehimtoworkhealwayshadtositinthebackseat.ElderJudkinsx19fatherwasthefirstblackmantoownacarintheircountyhavingsavedhismoneyfrommilitaryserviceinWWI.Hisfatherwouldtakeslavestochurchinhiscarwhilemostrodeinwag-onsorsomerodemules.Slavesattendedchurchservicesusuallyonceamonthinsmallchurches.Inhisfatherx19stimetherewerenoregulationsonhowachurchshouldbebuiltsoblacksharecropperswouldgetlogsfromalogmillandbuildchurchesthewholecommunityparticipatedinwhateverwaytheycouldandsomewhitesevengavemoneyandmaterials.Slavemasterscouldattendanyblackchurchestheychosebutslaveswereneverallowedtoattendwhitechurches.Thisentitlementwasalsotrueofnightclubsslavemasterscouldgotoblackclubsbutblackpeoplewerenotpermittedtoentertheirestablishments.Inshortanythingthewhitemanownedtheslaveswerenotallowedtoenter.LastgenerationofsharecroppersElderJudkinshimselfwasbornatatimewhentherewasnoelectricity.Herecallshisfamilyx19slamplightthattheytookfromroomtoroomforstudyuntilhewasabouteightortenwhentheinventionofelectriclightscametohomes.Hetooexperiencedtheharshnessofsharecroppingrememberingthattherewasalwaysashortageofmoneybutinhistimetheslavescouldeatfromfarmcropsallyearlongandalsofromthecowsandhogs.AsaboyJudkinsandotherchildrenofsharecrop-persattendedschoolbuttheywerealwaysonetotwoyearsbehindwhitekidsasthebookstheblacksreceivedweretheusedbooksfromwhitekids.Whenblackswereinthetenthgradetheywouldreceivebooksfromwhitekidsintheeighthorninthgrades.TherewereonlytwoblackschoolsbutJudkinsrecallsthattheywereacademicallysoundandwellmaintainedprincipalsandalltheteacherswerewhiteChristians.Everymorningtheysangasongprayedandthenwenttotheirclassrooms.Theschoolyearwasninemonthsbutthechildrenofsharecroppersdidnotattendmorethansixmonthsincetheyhadtohelpwithfarmdutieshelppickcottonandhelpduringharvestseason.Sharecroppingwasanindigentlifethatthatslavesweredeterminedtosurvive.AccordingtoElderJudkinsx19manytimeshisfatherdidnothaveenoughmoneytopayforclothingforhisfamilyatthelocalfarmstore.Storeownersdidnotputpricesonitemsbutwouldquoteanypricetoslavesthattheypleased.Attheendoftheyearwhenhisfatherwouldpayhisbillhewouldnothaveenoughsharecrop-pinghourstopayhistabsohewouldhavetoworkitoffthenextyearthuscontinuingthediscouragingandcursedcycleofneverhavinganymoney.ElderJudkinsrecountedthetimewhenhisolderbrotherbecameangryanddisgustedaboutthisverysitua-tion.Heandhisbrotherjoinedthemilitarytogetawayfromsharecroppingbecausebackthentherewasonlyacoupleofwaystoescapethesharecrop-pinglife-gotothemilitaryorrunnorthtothebigcitiesofNewYorkChicagoorBaltimore.ElderJudkinsjoinedtheArmyinhishometownofSouthCarolinawherehecompletedbasictraining.Evensohewasdismayedthatuponreturningfromover-seashewasyetrelegatedtorideinthebackofthebus.Heretiredfromthemilitaryin1972.SlaverytodayReflectinguponhisrichhistoryElderJudkinsstatedx1cIfkidstodayonlyknewandhadanunder-standingofwhathappenedmanyyearsagotheywouldpulluptheirpantsandactlikegentlemenandthegirlslikeladiesbecausewewentthroughsomuchtogettowherewearetoday.x1dHelamentedthatifhisgrandfatherwasalivetodayhewouldbeshockedattheblack-on-blackcrimesinceduringslaveryandsharecroppingdaysalltheblackpeoplewereChristiansandworkedtogether.Theslavesdidnothavetolocktheirdoorsandrarelyharmedoneanother.Slavesonlycarriedknivestoprotectthem-selvesagainstevilpeopleoutsidethecommunity.ElderJudkinswentontosaythathisgrandfatherwouldbeappalledatthenegativebehaviorofyouthtodayandequallyshockedthatwearenolongerabletospankandproperlydisciplineourchildren.InadditionhisgrandfatherwouldbehorrifiedathowourcountryhasmovedawayfromBiblicalval-uesandsubstitutedgodlylivingforopinionpollsandwhatothersthink.IfyouwouldliketospeakfurtherwithElderJudkinsabouthislifeasasharecropperandhisgrandfatherx19sslaveryexperienceshewelcomesyourconversationat303344-8260.HISTORYGrandfatherx19sMemoriesBringPowerfulHistoryLessonByAveechavil