Nanny Leah Washburn Interview 2

NANNY LEAH WASHBURNE: (inaudible)

GEORGE STONEY: Now tell me what you'd like to do next.

WASHBURNE: I don't -- I don't know what to pick. I would like to see lot of things changed, conditions and so forth. I'd like to see plenty of changes. They's so many things needs to be done.

STONEY: Now when I was over here before, you were talking about religion. Could you talk about religion a little?

WASHBURNE: I can talk about it, but I don't want to hurt ye', nor none of these other young -- none of 'em. Now I don't believe in no religion. I joined the 00:01:00church, was baptized. I thought it might help me make a living for my children. Five children's a-hard to feed and clothe and shelter. I-- I'm not -- I've not -- I won't fall out with nobody that is religious, but they can't carry it on around me, 'cause I -- I just don't care for it. I's raised up in a religious parents. My daddy was a fanatic on religion. My mother used to sing in the choir out in Douglas County, and her sister. But I'm not religious and I'm not 00:02:00ashamed of it. And when I die, I don't want no religious funeral and to have people a-wailing or crying around. I don't care for that. Now it's turned people against me to talk that, but that's in my heart. And I'm expecting Christ, if they is one, to come down here and do something for this, for the people, or up -- come out of the ground, wherever he's at. (laughs) I'm not religious.

STONEY: Could you talk about music?

WASHBURNE: Music?

STONEY: Yeah.

WASHBURNE: Oh, I love music. I'm crazy about music. I -- I think music's a 00:03:00great thing. It is really wonderful.

STONEY: Did you ever use music to help organize?

WASHBURNE: Well, I didn't have no -- I didn't have no music to bring in the ho-- I mean for the people that come in my house. But I've had this room full, and coming way over here, of people from New York and all, black and white.

STONEY: Do you recall any of the songs that you used to sing?

WASHBURNE: Me? Well, I got plenty of books on 'em. What kind of song you like?

STONEY: Well, I like some songs that Pete Seeger used to sing.

WASHBURNE: Oh, he's my man! Oh ho ho ho ho! Pete Seeger! What's the matter with him? Is he still playing? Where -- where at?

STONEY: He's in New York, yes.

WASHBURNE: Is he? I never get him on the radio.

STONEY: He was on the radio last night.

WASHBURNE: Tell me how to get him.

STONEY: I'll send you a cassette of his stuff. Do you have a -- do you have a player?

WASHBURNE: Yes.

STONEY: I'll send you a cassette.

WASHBURNE: I guess it's sitting right there. And my son has one, too.

STONEY: Pete -- I had dinner with Pete last Monday night.

WASHBURNE: You don't mean!

STONEY: That's right.

WASHBURNE: Well, I want you to -- I met Pete. I'll tell ye', I'm glad this come up. You see, when we went to -- when me and my husband went to Stockholm, Sweden, I had a lot of company out in New York that come, you know, to see us 00:05:00and talk to us before we went, because it was hard times then to get a passport. And did you know anybody by the name of Betty Heffri-- Haffrick -- Haffrick? Her husband worked for some big studio, great studio, and she come to Atlanta to -- for us to go to Stockholm, to see if we could go to Stockholm, Sweden. That was before Dr. King ever went. And we went to Stockholm, Sweden and met a lot of people, Indian people, and I met people from over in, ah ©© I mean, the Indian people. And they was, ah, some -- at that big conference? I've got a record of it -- at that big conference, World Peace Council Meeting. It was 00:06:00wonderful. And they was some Chinese people that wanted to -- to meet us, and so they asked would we meet with the Chinese people. And we told 'em we'd feel honored to. That's when Walter was living. Walter was my husband's name then. So we met these two people that -- after we come back from Stockholm, Sweden, it wasn't very long till them two men was in, ah -- in the capitol there. What do you call it? Not the legislature. What is it?

STONEY: In Sweden?

WASHBURNE: Huh?

STONEY: The capitol in Sweden?

WASHBURNE: No! In -- in this country!

STONEY: Oh, ah --

WASHBURNE: And I was thrilled.

STONEY: The Congress, Senate.

WASHBURNE: Yes. Senate. They was lovely people.

STONEY: Well, now --

WASHBURNE: But that hurt me when they come up and asked me in China and Walter, "Would you" -- "Woman, would you accept to talk to the Chinese," you know, bigshot. Oh, me. That's the sweetest place I's ever in. The little childrens even talk -- taught how to watch after the elderly people, you know, to keep 'em from falling? You know, if you don't get a lot of calcium, you'll fall, you you know, without calcium. Yeah, I've had a really wonderful life, but Pete 00:08:00Seeger's what got me. He used to sing over radio. Is he strong now?

STONEY: Yes.

WASHBURNE: Oh, wonder if you'll ever see him.

STONEY: Sure.

WASHBURNE: Give him my love and a big hug. Tell him I -- does he remember Nanny Leah Washburn.

STONEY: I'll do that. Now could you sing any of the old union songs?

WASHBURNE: Me?

STONEY: Yes.

WASHBURNE: I got the books. (singing) "When the union is for raging (inaudible)." Oh, I believe, "Let that little light shine, shine, shine, shine." I don't know that -- I can't -- "When the union is for reaching(?) through the workers' blood shall run. There can be no power greater beneath 00:09:00the sun. (inaudible) what force on Earth is weaker than the feeble strike of one, for the union makes us strong. Solidarity forever. Solidarity forever. Solidarity forever. For the union makes us strong." I used to could sing, but not no more.

STONEY: You do all right.

WASHBURN: Want me to go play it on the piano?

STONEY: Yes, sure.

[break in video]

WASHBURNE: (playing piano) "Solidarity forever. Solidarity forever. Solidarity 00:11:00forever. For the union makes us strong."

(inaudible)

(piano)

WASHBURNE: Do you know that song? Let's see. Here's another 'n I'll play for ye'.

(plays piano)

WASHBURNE: "And I ain't going to study war no more. I ain't a-going to study (inaudible) any more." (continues playing what she remembers) Somebody play. You want me to play some more? (laughter)

STONEY: That's great. That's wonderful.

WASHBURNE: Well, I done played "A Union Song" and "I Ain't Going to Study War No More." You know what that means, don't you? I taught my children to not go -- you know what my son done, the one that died? I told him to not be a fool and go and fight the capitalist war. If they come over here, it might be different with people. And I said, "William, don't you go to no war for no rich people," just like it's a-going on now. You know the drugs? They could stop that drug business a-being brought over here, couldn't they? I believe they could. Well, anyhow, I told William, I says, "William, I wouldn't go. I wouldn't be a big enough fool to go to war." And so it wasn't too long till they called him. 00:15:00They called him and he had to go and be examined for war, you know, see if he'd pass. So William -- we'd done talked it over, about, you know, not going to no war. Well, anyhow, the doctor, he -- (laughs) William said, "Doctor, I've got to have a drink. I've got to have a drink. I can't -- I can't hear nothing hardly. And that liquor kindly makes my hearing better." He said, "What do you mean?" He said, "I just got to have a drink." He didn't -- he didn't even touch him again. That's pretty good, isn't it, to not have to go to an old war 00:16:00and fight and kill innocent people over there or anywhere. I'll be John Browned if I'd do it. I -- I wouldn't fight wars.

STONEY: Okay. That's good. Thank you.