Transcript Title
Maya Palakal
Mr. Thomas
U.S. History
28 April 2006
Personal Interview with Lizzie Hamilton
My interview was with Lizzie Hamilton, a resident at St. Paul’s Hermitage. While Lizzie was only 15 at the beginning of the war, she still witnessed what life on the home front was like for those around her. However, due to Lizzie’s deteriorating health, the interview was not very long.
Q: What was your home life like during the war?
A: Wasn’t very easy…my ma had to work in the factory most of the days and I had to stay home and watch my sisters and brothers. Ma didn’t have it too good at the factory being a black woman and all…she’d come home complaining about how people there’d stare at her or talk about her…well at first anyway…got better after a little bit. And ‘cause of her long hours, I’d stay home with the kids…had to make supper and all for them, but it was hard…they’d ration our food and everything so sometimes it was like we didn’t have enough to eat…the kids, they’d always complain about goin’ to bed hungry, but we got used to it.
Q: How bad were the rations?
A: Ah I guess it depended on the time…at the beginning of the war it felt bad…we weren’t really used to the rationing I guess…but we didn’t always have the food in the first place anyway…(laughs)…I remember they’d ration the sugar and meat and all…sometimes we’d have special suppers where I’d save some of the meat and have a sort of feast for the little ones…they’d get so happy on those days…I remember we did that for Easter once…that was one of my favorite times…food, bright clothes, kids smilin’…
Q: Was anyone close to you in the war?
A: Well my pa ran off a little after I was born…suppose we’ll never know about him but we were never really mighty close in the first place, were we? But nah…my brothers- I had two- were both too young…5 and 7…and I didn’t have any uncles or anyone we were close to either. I think one of my friend’s daddy’s went overseas but I don’t really remember much about then…oh but I think one of my ma’s friends, a lady who worked with her she was real nice, and a white lady no less, but I think she ran off to join some women’s air force or something like it…I remember my ma was real sad ‘cause she thought she’d never see her again…
Q: You didn’t meet your husband or anything during the war did you?
A: Who, Robert? Nah, we met after…he was overseas I guess doing God knows what…army I think but I wouldn’t know the difference…but we met after when we was around our 20s…sometimes he’d stay up rememberin’ things from the war…couldn’t sleep, you know? But no…I was too young during the war anyway (laughs)…well there were all these girls goin’ and gettin’ married, and then there boys’d go and join the war…would be tears and tears...but not for me, no, not during the war…
Q: You said you watched your siblings during the war; did you go to school at all?
A: ‘Course I did. Well not during the war but before that yes…my ma wanted me to learn reading and writing at all…never was real good at that but then my ma went and got a job and there was nobody to watch the little ones…I had to give up somethin’ you know? But it wasn’t bad, no…spend time with family, never knowin’ what day’ll be your last…(here she fell asleep, concluding the interview)
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