Le Hinton
Exit Interview, January 1, 1863
Why are you resigning?
I don’t have another job, but isn’t no job
better than this job?
What did you like about your work?
I once heard that it’s easier to pick cotton here
in Mississippi than tobacco in Virginia. But I don’t know.
What did you dislike about your work?
I miss my boys, Levi and Leroy. I heard they might
be in Texas. They were 14 when they got sold.
What were the best qualities of your supervisor?
I guess I appreciated the fact that he didn’t kill me,
and I only got whipped about twice a year. He
let my wife put salve on my back after he finished.
Did you feel valued within the company?
I don’t know what that means. They wouldn’t let me
learn to read and write.
What skills should we look for in the person that replaces you?
You might want to look for someone who doesn’t need
to get paid for picking cotton and doesn’t mind bloody hands.
Would you recommend working at our company to a friend.
No. I can’t recommend working here to another soul. I don’t hate
anyone that much.