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p.77 W1

INTERVIEW BY CELESTINE WARE-WBAI
3-5-1971

1
MINNIE EVANS

C.W. Can you tell me about your childhood?

M.E. Well, my childhood is very interesting. I was a great dreamer all my life. I never slept at times without dreaming. I had all kind of peculiar dreams and those dreams kept me tired. When I go to school I couldn't stay awoke. I go to sleep. My teacher was asking me Minnie why do you sleep so much? I told her because I don't sleep at night but I couldn't make my mothers, my parents understand why, are you asleep? Why all that snoring and things you have done but those dreams kept me tormented.

C.W. What kind of dreams did you have?

M.E. I had dreams of all old prophets. As soon as I would close my eyes they would catch me and carry me out, up and down the street. I have woke up out at the National Cemetry more times than I can remember. 

C.W. Do you mean you sleep-walked or that you dreamed? 

M.E. Sleep! and in my sleep these dreams, these old people would take me and they would carry me up and down the streets and out splited and Market Street, the National Cemetry. They would carry me out there and that's where I would wake up. Out in the cemetries.

C.W. Were you frightened? When you had those dreams? Were you frightened when no one understood?

M.E. No one understood, I couldn't make my parents. I couldn't tell them of about those things, especially my mother. She didn't have time to listen but my grandmother would.

C.W. How many other children were there?

M.E. There was no one but me. I am my mother's only child.

C.W. I see. How far did you go in school?

M.E. Oh, I was promoted to the 6th grade. One thing about it I had to repeat my fourth grade. (C.W. I see) because I didn't do well. What it was I didn't get my arithmetic. I'd get all other lessons but those, yeah.

Transcription Notes:
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