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1850-1865
5.1 Elaborate on the social conditions in the decade preceding the Civil War.
From the description of Slave Narratives of the Federal Writer's project such as Sarah Gudger of Asheville or diary entries of slave masters it is known that many slaves lived in family units. By examining the census records, it is known know that multiple families likely lived together in small houses.
The slave population in WNC was constantly renewed with news and cultures of the outside world by visitors and the slaves some brought with them. Of the social patterns of African-Americans in Buncombe County, public historian Alice Eley Jones says:
“In the homes of the wealthy and hotels and resorts of Asheville, the large slave work force of black cooks, laundry women, maids, nannies, butlers, nurses, carriage drivers, teamsters and guides probably exchanged cultural traditions with the most African inspired slaves on the eastern shores of North America, the slaves of Low Country Charleston and Savannah. Low Country slaves accompanied their masters’ households each year between May and October. A heritage of rice, ring shouts, singing, dancing and conjuration was in all probability shared between Asheville slaves and Low Country slaves.”
Banjo, NC Collection. Pack Memorial
Library, Asheville, NC
 She also notes that instruments such as the banjo, whose African origins (Ghana) have long been known, probably found its way to the mountains through the slave routes to eventually become the quintessential bluegrass instrument. The roots of clogging are also to be found in the dances of Buck, Pigeon Wing, and Cake Walk which were shared with work crews who were building roads and mining in the far mountain coves of western North Carolina.
“Den de specalater he see who he want. He talk to Old Marse, den dey slaps de han’cuffs on him an’ tak him away to de cotton country. Oh, dem wah awful times! When de specalater wah ready to go wif de slaves, effen dey wha enny why didn’t wanta go, he trash em, den tie em ’hind de waggin an mek em run till dey fall on de groun’, den he thrash em till dey say dey go ’thout no trubble. Sometime some of dem run ’way an cum back t’ de plantation, den it was hardah on dem den befoah…. Den de teahs roll down huh cheeks, cause mebbe it huh son o’ husban’ an’ she know she nebbah see ’em again. Mebbe dey leaves babies t’ home, mebe jes’ pappy an’ mammy. Oh, mah Lawdy, mah old Boss wah mean, out he mebbah sen’ us to de cotton country.”
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