I was six years old in 1936 the day we left the farm in Mississippi Between the boll weevils the floods and the landlord there was no way a family could scratch out a living there anymore Mama cried into her handkerchief and said Okay Cassie Get in the car It’s time to go
Daddy told us There are jobs up north in Chicago So that’s where we’re going Mama Daddy my brothers James and Aaron Uncle Vernon and I all squeezed into our old car Everything we owned was squished in the trunk or tied on the roof
