AND COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES, A STATE PROGRAM FOR NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR HUMANITIES.

>>YOU HAD TO BE HERE THEN TO BE ABLE TO DON'T SEE IT AND DON'T HEAR IT.

BUT I WAS HERE THEN AND I DON'T SEE IT NOW.

THAT'S WHY I DID IT.

I DID IT FOR THEM BACK THERE BURIED UNDER THEM TREES.

I DID IT BECAUSE THAT TRACTOR IS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THAT GRAVEYARD AND I WAS SCARED IF I DIDN'T DO IT, ONE DAY THAT TRACTOR WAS GOING TO COME IN AND PLOW UP THEM GRAVES GETTING RID OF ALL THE PROOF THAT WE EVER WAS.

>>MUSIC.

>>AS FAR BACK AS ANYONE CAN REMEMBER THE 4TH SUNDAY OF THE MONTH HAS BEEN THE DAY OF THE SACRAMENT AT MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH.

THE LITTLE WOODEN BUILDING SITS OFF HIGHWAY 1 IN POINT COUPEE PARISH LOUISIANA.

50 OR 60 YEARS AGO THIS CHURCH WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE ON SUNDAY.

THEIR SINGING AND PRAYING COULD BE HEARD ALL THE WAY UP THE PLANTATION QUARTERS AND CLEAR BACK TO THE CANE FIELDS.

LIVING IN CABINS BUILT BY SLAVE ANCESTORS THE PEOPLE OF RIVER LAKE PLANTATION WORKED AND SWEATED IN THE FIELDS FOR LITTLE PAY BUT THEY CARED FOR EACH OTHER EVEN AS THEY STRUGGLED TO SURVIVE.

NOW THE CHURCH AND FEW REMAINING HOUSES ARE SLOWLY CRUMBLING.

WHEN THEY'RE GONE, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT OF THIS PLACE, NOTHING BUT MEMORIES.

THE PEOPLE OF THE QUARTERS HAVE ALWAYS TOLD STORIES, KEEPING THE PAST ALIVE.

BUT ONE MAN HAS TAKEN THOSE MEMORIES, THOSE STORIES AND PUT THEM INTO BOOKS.

50 YEARS AGO WHEN HE LIVED HERE, HE WAS A BOY CALLED E J. TODAY HE IS KNOWN AS ERNEST J GAINES, AUTHOR.

HIS BEST LOVED WORK IS A NOVEL CALLED "THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN".

READERS ALL OVER THE WORLD FIND WISDOM HUMOR AND TRUTH IN THE STORY OF 110 YEAR OLD JANE PITTMAN WHO JOURNEYS FROM SLAVERY TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

BUT MISS JANE IS ONLY ONE OF MANY MEMORABLE CHARACTERS CREATED BY ERNEST GAINES IN HIS NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.

HIS WORK IS ROOTED IN A PARTICULAR PLACE, THE LOUISIANA COUNTRY SIDE WHERE HE GREW UP.

GAINES MOVED AWAY FROM THE PLANTATION AS A BOY SETTLING IN CALIFORNIA.

BUT HIS MEMORIES WENT WITH HIM.

THEY ARE THE TIES THAT BIND HIM TO THIS PLACE.

THE PEOPLE HERE WERE POOR AND BARELY EDUCATED.

BUT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE QUARTERS THEY MADE A WORLD.

THEIR VOICES WERE NOT HEARD BEYOND THIS LITTLE PATCH OF LAND.

BUT ERNEST GAINES HAS GIVEN THEM A VOICE, BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD.

IN HIS BOOKS HE HAS TOLD THEIR STORIES.

>>MY FOLKS HAVE BEEN BURIED HERE FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS.

THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED THIS LAND A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

AND THEY WORKED ALL THESE FIELDS OUTSIDE THE SEEM TERRY.

COUPLE MILES BACK TOWARD SWAMPS, YOU CAN GO A QUARTER OF A MILE OVER IN THIS DIRECTION, HALF MILE UP HERE, ANOTHER HALF MILE OVER THERE.

THEY WORKED ALL THIS LAND.

PEOPLE BURIED IN HERE NOW.

WE USED TO LIVE UP HERE.

THE PLANTATION QUARTERS IS JUST UP THE ROAD HERE.

THAT'S WHERE WE LIVED.

THIS IS WHERE WE WERE BURIED.

AND THIS IS WHERE I HOPE TO BE BURIED ONE DAY.

>>FOR ERNEST GAINES THIS GRAVEYARD WHERE MOST OF THE GRAVES ARE SUNKEN AND UNMARKED IS HAL OWED GROUND.

>>THE PEOPLE I HAD IN MIND WHEN DOING "THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN", PEOPLE IN MIND WHEN DOING ESPECIALLY THE GATHERING OF OLD MAN, THE MAN TO WHOM I DEDICATED THE BOOK, HE IS BURIED IN THIS AREA.

MR.

WALTER ZINO IS BURIED HERE.

OTHERS I HAD IN MIND WHEN WRITING THE BOOK, THEY'RE BURIED HERE.

I USED TO WRITE LETTERS TOO FOR THESE PEOPLE.

I HATE SAYING THESE PEOPLE.

I MEAN FOR THE PEOPLE.

I USED TO WRITE LETTERS FOR THEM.

MY MY AUNT AND SOME OF THE OLD PEOPLE.

THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF UNDERSTANDING MY PLACE IN THE WORLD AND UNDERSTANDING THEM.

>>ERNEST GAINES REMEMBERS LIFE ON THIS PLANTATION BEFORE THE TRACTORS CAVE IN AND THE PEOPLE MOVED OUT.

HE REMEMBERS WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD AND HE REMEMBERS WHAT PEOPLE TOLD HIM.

>>ALTHOUGH I HAVE LIVED IN CALIFORNIA THE LAST OH, 43 YEARS OR MORE, I STILL WRITE ABOUT THIS PLACE BECAUSE I FEEL THOSE LETTERS ARE NOT FINISHED YET AND I DOUBT I COULD EVER FINISH THEM.

>>IF WE DON'T KEEP A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF THE PAST, WE LOSE THE ONLY STABILIZING FORCE THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS THE MEMORY THAT LINKS US TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE AND TO THEIR LIVES.

SO WE HAVE TO KNOW AS MUCH AS WE CAN ABOUT THE PAST AND HOW PEOPLE DEALT, HOW THEY COPIED.

>>ERNEST GAINES' PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AT RIVER LAKE PLANTATION FOR OVER A CENTURY DATING BACK TO SLAVERY.

TO GET HERE, YOU DRIVE 35 MILES WEST FROM BATON ROUGE ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THROUGH THE LUSH FARM LAND OF POINT COUPEE PARISH.

AT THE LITTLE TOWN OF OSCAR YOU TURN LEFT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND ON TO THE ROAD LEADING INTO THE QUARTERS.

BUILT IN THE 1780'S THE PLANTATION WAS BOUGHT IN 1895 BY THIS MAN, PERVIS SHERRY MAJOR.

THE SHARECROPPERS WHO LIVED HERE CALLED IT SHERRY QUARTERS, A DOUBLE ROW OF 30 CABINS THAT LINED THE DIRT ROAD LEADING TO THE CANE FIELDS.

THEY CHOPPED CANE, LOADED IT INTO MULE DRAWN WAGONS AND HAULED IT TO THE SUGAR HOUSE.

IN THE PLANTATION STORE THEY SPENT SCRIPT MONEY, COLOR CODED FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT READ.

ERNEST GAINES' PEOPLE WERE SHARECROPPERS WHEN HE WAS BORN IN THIS TWO ROOM CABIN IN 1933.

HARD TIMES FOR LOUISIANA AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

ADREAN JEFFERSON GAINES WAS ONLY 16 WHEN HER OLDEST CHILD WAS BORN ON JANUARY 15, A SUNDAY.

BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK SHE WAS BACK AT WORK IN THE FIELDS.

SHE AND HER HUSBAND MANUAL GAINES NAMED THE BOY ERNEST JAMES FOR HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER JAMES MCVAY.

>>THE ROAD WHERE WE LIVED, THE PLANTATION PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE LIVED WAS CALLED THE QUARTERS.

IF THIS IS 50 YEARS AGO, YOU WOULD FIND -- YOU WOULD NOT FIND ALL THIS SH RUBBERY, ALL THESE TREES LIKE THIS.

YOU WOULD FIND HOUSES HERE AND YARDS.

YOU WOULD FIND SOME PEOPLE HAVE FLOWERS.

YOU WOULD FIND A LOT OF CHILDREN.

A LOT OF CHILDREN WOULD BE PLAYING IN THE ROAD HERE.

THOSE HOUSES OVER THERE ONLY GOT ELECTRICITY AFTER THE WAR.

I REMEMBER STUDYING BY, STUDYING MY LESSON BICKER SEEN LAMPS OR BY THE LIGHT FROM THE FIREPLACE.

>>IT WAS A LITTLE COMMUNITY OF ITS OWN.

THEY LIVED AMONG THEIR RELATIVES.

YOU HAD CHURCH.

THE GRAVEYARD WAS NOT TOO FAR.

THE BOSS OF THE PLANTATION WOULD KEEP PEACE WHERE TROUBLE STARTED, YOU UNDERSTAND.

HE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CALL THE SHERIFF OR WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY AND BAIL THEM OUT OF JAIL, GET THE LAWYER TO DEFEND THEM, CALL THE DOCTOR.

ALL THIS WAS TRUE BEFORE WORLD WAR II.

BUT ALL THAT CONDITION HAS PASSED OUT AND FADED AWAY.

IT'S GONE WITH THE WIND.

>>SEPARATED FROM WHITE SOCIETY BY THE UNWRITTEN LAWS OF JIM CROW AND THE REMNANTS OF SLAVE CODES LIFE IN THE QUARTERS WAS BOUNDED BY THE PLANTATION.

BUT EXTERNAL OPPRESSION COULD NOT STIFLE THE PEOPLE'S HUMANITY.

THEY BONDED TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

>>YOU WERE TOGETHER.

IT WAS A FAMILY THING.

EVERYBODY FELT THE SAME WAY.

ONE IS GOING TO DO FOR THE OTHER.

AND IT WAS JUST SO, YOU KNOW, THE LOVE WAS SO REAL THERE.

>>I ALWAYS FELT THE WARMTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

ANYBODY'S HOME WE WENT TO, THEY'D JUST TELL YOU COME IN THE HOUSE.

THEY'D ALWAYS ASK YOU YOU HUNGRY?

WANT TO EAT SOMETHING?

>>WE WANTED OUR CHILDREN TO BE THE BEST.

YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR CHILD AT ALL TIMES.

AND HELP FROM PEOPLE MEANS A LOT.

>>SCHOOL TOOK IN AT 8:00.

YOU LEAVE HOME AT 7:30.

YOU BETTER BE THERE.

YOU GOT A MILE AND A HALF TO WALK.

YOU WAS GOING TO WALK IT.

>>WHEN I WOULD COME HOME, WHEN YOU ARE THROUGH PLAYING -- I TELL YOU GO AND PLAY, COME HOME.

I DON'T WANT YOU BREAKING NOBODY'S FOOD OFF THEIR TREE, THROWING ROCKS AT ANYTHING.

I DON'T WANT YOU PICKING NO FIGHTS.

>>THEY WOULD SEND ME TO THE STORE AND SAY COME RIGHT BACK.

THEY MEANT COME RIGHT BACK.

THEY MEANT DON'T STOP AND TALK TO NOBODY.

THAT MEANS GO TO THAT STORE.

YOU BETTER HEAD IT ON BACK HOME.

>>MY AUNT USED TO SPIT ON THE PORCH.

IN THE SUN YOU HAD A MILE AND A HALF TO WALK.

YOU BETTER NOT LET THAT SPIT DRY.

IF THAT SPIT DRY, HONEY, YOU WAS IN FOR IT.

>>ONE THING, THEIR INTENTION WAS TO PREPARE YOU TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE ATTITUDE OF THE OLDER PEOPLE, TEACH YOU HOW TO SURVIVE.

>>SURVIVAL IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH MEANT KNOWING THE CODES OF BEHAVIOR THAT GOVERNED WHITES AND BLACKS.

ADULTS OF SHERRY QUARTERS KNEW THE CODES AND TAUGHT THEM TO THEIR CHILDREN.

SOMETIMES THE LESSONS WERE BACKED UP BY THE STRAP.

THAT WAS LESS PAINFUL THAN RUNNING A FOWL OF THE LAW.

>>THAT WELP -- STAYED OUT OF JAIL.

-- STAYED OUT OF JAIL.

I DON'T THINK ANY OF US THAT REALLY GOT A WHIPPING GOT IN AS MUCH TROUBLE THAT DIDN'T.

>>THIS IS WHERE THE PEOPLE OWNED YOU.

THESE WERE THE PEOPLE THAT OWNED THE PLACE.

AND YOU WORKED FOR THEM.

THERE WERE DECENT ONES AMONG THEM AND THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE NOT DECENT AMONG THEM.

YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THEM ALL.

IT WAS A PLACE OF POWER.

IT WAS A PLACE OF CONTROL.

IT IS NOT ONLY THIS PLACE HERE.

ANY BIG HOUSE OR PLANTATION HOUSE AT THAT TIME.

MY GRANDMOTHER IS SORT OF LIKE A CONDUIT BETWEEN THAT AND THE QUARTERS.

SHE WOULD SAY OKAY, BE COOL ON THINGS OR BE CALM, DON'T DO CERTAIN THINGS, DON'T BE BAD IS WHAT SHE USED TO SAY.

>>GAINES' MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER KNOWN AS SEW MAY WAS THE COOK FOR THE OWNERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

HIS GRANDFATHER WAS THE CARPENTER AND HANDY-MAN.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON WAS HIS MOTHER'S AUNT MS.

AUGUST * AUGUSTINE JEFFERSON.

SHE CARED FOR THEM WHILE THEIR PARENTS WORKED IN THE FIELD.

>>SHE WAS CRIPPLE ALL HER LIFE.

SHE MUST HAVE BEEN IN HER 40'S WHEN I KNEW HER.

SHE WOULD CRAWL OVER THE FLOOR, OVER THAT PORCH.

SHE WOULD CALL DOWN THE STEPS AND GO INTO THE GARDEN.

SHE WOULD WORK ON AMONG THE ROWS OF VEGETABLES, BEANS, OF PEAS, TOMATOES, WHATEVER WE HAD IN THE GARDEN.

SHE WOULD CRAWL ACROSS THE YARD AND GO INTO THE BACKYARD TO PICK PECANS.

SHE COOKED OUR FOOD.

SHE WASHED OUR CLOTHES.

WE HAD TO BRING EVERYTHING TO HER.

SHE IRONED OUR CLOTHES.

I NEVER HEARD HER -- I AM SURE SHE DID.

BUT I NEVER HEARD HER COMPLAIN ONCE ABOUT HER CONDITION.

>>MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, EARNY AND LIONEL AND EUGENE, NORBERT, CHARLES, MYSELF, SHE WOULD GIVE ORDERS LIKE AN ARMY SARGENT.

>>THIS LADY WASN'T WALKING AROUND BUT SHE WAS SAYING A LOT.

>>SHE WAS LIKE MOM TO US.

SHE RAISED US.

>>BECAUSE AUNT AUGUST EVEN COULD NOT GO OUT, THE ADULTS IN THE QUARTERS OFTEN GATHERED AT HER HOUSE TO TALK.

ERNEST GAINES TRACES HIS EAR FOR DIALOGUE ON THE PLACE ON THE PORCH LISTENING TO THE STORIES.

>>HE WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN LEARNING.

IN HIS MIND HE COULD GET MORE FROM KNOWING THE PEOPLE, IF HE WOULD BE WITH THEM.

>>BACK THERE IT WAS DONE LIKE THE OLD TEST AMOUNT SAID.

YOU DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN.

YOU TOLD THE CHILDREN ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW.

>>THESE OLD PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT, WHATEVER BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER THAT PARTICULAR DAY, WHETHER A FUNERAL, WEDDING OR WHATEVER.

THEN OF COURSE IF YOU TALK ABOUT A WEDDING THEN ANOTHER WEDDING WOULD COME UP.

IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A FUNERAL, ANOTHER FUNERAL IN THE PAST WOULD COME UP.

AND THEY WOULD START TALKING THAT WAY.

YOU CAN SIT DOWN THERE AND GET A LESSON IN HISTORY IF YOU JUST SAT THERE LONG ENOUGH, AT LEAST HISTORY ABOUT THIS PLACE.

>>TALK WAS GOLD IN THE HOT DUSTY WORLD OF THE QUARTERS BUT WORK AND THE SEASONS THAT GOVERNED IT WAS THE CENTER OF ALL THEIR LIVES, EVEN THE CHILDREN.

CHILD LABOR WAS COMMON IN PLANTATION SOCIETY.

BUT RIVER LAKE WAS DIFFERENT IN ONE RESPECT.

P C MAJOR BROUGHT TEACHERS TO THE QUARTERS SO THE CHILDREN COULD LEARN TO READ AND WRITE WHEN THEY WERE NOT WORKING IN THE FIELDS, THEY ATTENDED SCHOOL IN THE CHURCH.

>>FOR 5 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR THIS WOULD BE A SCHOOL.

WE DIDN'T HAVE DESKS OR ANYTHING IN THIS CHURCH.

WE SAT ON THE PEWS.

IN ORDER TO WRITE OR STUDY OUR LESSON WE HAD TO STUDY FROM HAVING THE BOOK OR THE PAPER ON OUR LAPS.

SOMETIMES WE'D GET ON OUR KNEES AND KNEEL DOWN WITH THE PAPER OR THE BOOK ON THE BENCH, YOU KNOW, TO WRITE OUR LITTLE ASSIGNMENT OR WHATEVER YOU HAD TO DO.

>>E J LEARNED QUICKLY.

SOON HE COULD READ AND WRITE BETTER THAN MOST ADULTS IN THE QUARTERS.

OLD PEOPLE OFTEN ASKED HIM TO READ ALOUD FROM THE SUNDAY COMICS, SEARS CATALOG, THE BIBLE.

>>I SUPPOSE THAT'S MY FIRST EDUCATION.

MY SITTING OUT THERE ON THE PORCH OR THE GALLERY AND LISTENING TO THE OLD PEOPLE TALK.

I ALSO WROTE THEIR LETTERS FROM THE GALLERY, FROM THE PORCH.

I WOULD SIT ON THE STEPS WHILE THEY SAT ON THE CHAIR OR ON THE FLOOR AND DICTATED THEIR LETTERS TO ME.

OFTEN I HAD TO CREATE THE LETTERS BECAUSE THEY SAID AFTER OPENING, COUPLE OPENING REMARKS, THEY HAD * THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.

>>HE WAS LEARNING TO MAKE THIS CONNECTION THAT SO MANY WRITERS NEVER MANAGE BETWEEN CLOAK Y'ALL, AMERICAN REGIONAL DIALECT ENGLISH AND THE PRINTED PAGE.

>>I THINK THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO IN DIALOGUE NOW AND IN NARRATIVE NOW.

FROM THE FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW, I TRY TO SPEAK AS THOUGH IT IS ORAL RATHER THAN SOMETHING WRITTEN DOWN.

BUT THE WAY THE PEOPLE MUST HAVE -- THE WAY CERTAIN PEOPLE SPOKE.

MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HERE WERE UNEDUCATE THE PEOPLE.

I WOULD TRY TO GET THEIR RHYTHM AND THEIR LIMITED VOCABULARY AND DICTION AND WHATEVER THEY -- THE WAY THEY EXPRESS THEMSELVES.

>>WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 12, E J WAS BAPTIZED IN FALSE RIVER ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM THE QUARTERS.

SOON AFTER HE BEGAN TO ATTEND CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN NEARBY NEW ROADS.

AT ST.

AUGUST TIN SCHOOL E J SAW PLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

INSPIRED HE WROTE SKITS AND AMUSED PEOPLE IN QUARTERS BY STAGING LITTLE PLAYS AT THE CHURCH.

>>I HAD A WEDDING SCENE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT MY SISTER LOIS WAS A BRIDE.

YEAH, AND I HAD THEM FACING THE AUDIENCE.

WITH MY BACK TO THE AUDIENCE.

I WAS THE MINISTER.

I WAS GOING TO MARRY THEM.

NEAR OF THEM KNEW THEIR LINES.

I HAD TO WHISPER THEIR LINES TO THEM.

I AM SURE THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK COULD SEE THEM LISTENING TO WHAT I AM SAYING TO THEM BEFORE THEY SPEAK THEIR LINES.

THEN I HAD TO SPEAK MY LINES.

YOU KNOW, DO YOU TAKE SO AND SO.

SAY I DO.

I DO.

>>HE ALWAYS WAS THE MASTER OF DOING A LOT OF WRITING.

WE ALL WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

HE LOVED TO GET TO HIMSELF.

HE WAS AMONG US, BUT HE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WITH GETTING OFF TO WRITE LITTLE THINGS.

>>E J TRAVELED ALL OVER THE PARISH WITH HIS GREAT ANTIOCH TAISM I CAN MCVAY WHO SOLD COSMETICS.

TRIPS INTRODUCED HIM TO LIFE OUTSIDE.

ALSO TAUGHT HIM OF LIFE OF JIM CROW.

>>THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU CAN GO TO A REST RANT, YOU HAVE TO GO AROUND THE BACK AND GET YOU A SANDWICH OR GO TO THE MOVIES, YOU HAVE TO GO IN ANOTHER DOOR.

OR DON'T GO IN THAT MOVIE.

OR CHILDREN GETTING ON THE BUS, YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY GET ON AND YOU GET ON.

IF THERE IS ANY SEAT, YOU SIT DOWN.

IF NOT, YOU STAND UP.

THERE IS A BOARD PUT BETWEEN YOU AND THE WHITE PERSON TO KEEP YOU FROM BEING NEAR THEM, LIKE IF YOU ARE GOING TO RUB OFF.

>>FROM THE WARMTH OF THE QUARTERS TO THE DANGERS OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD LIFE IN POINT COUPEE PASH ISSUE WAS THE RAW MATERIAL FOR GAINES' ART.

USING HIS OWN MEMORIES AND THE STORIES HANDED DOWN BY ELDERS HE WOULD CREATE A WORLD ON PAPER.

>>THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

MISS JANE PITTMAN WORKING.

MISS JANE WOULD WORK THERE.

MY GRANDMOTHER WORKED THERE.

THE FIRST HOUSE AS YOU COME INTO THE QUARTERS -- >>WHEN YOU ARE WITH HIM IN THE QUARTERS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD HE MENTIONS AND POINTS TO THE HOUSES AND SAYS MAWNT LIVED HERE.

MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED HERE.

"CATHERINE CARMIER"'S HOUSE WAS HERE.

MISS JANE PITTMAN WAS HERE.

AS YOU WALK ALONG REAL PEOPLE, CHARACTERS FROM THE NOVELS AND YOU REALIZE THIS IS ALL ONE WORLD TO HIM AND IT JUST MAKES THE STUFF IN THE BOOK JUST COME TO LIVE IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY.

>>DURING WORLD WAR II E J'S FATHER MANUAL GAINES WAS SENT OVERSEAS BY THE U.S.

ARMY.

AFTER MANUAL RETURNED TO THE PLANTATION HE AND ADREAN SEPARATED AND SHE MOVED TO NEW ORLEANS TO WORK, LEAVING HER CHILDREN WITH AUNT AUGUST TEEN.

ADREAN LATER REMARRIED AND MOVED TO CALIFORNIA WITH HER NEW HUSBAND NORBERT COLAR, A MEMBER OF THE MERCHANT MARINE.

>>I WANTED TO COME HERE SO I COULD START A LIFE AND MAKE A LIFE FOR MY CHILDREN, FINISH BEING RAISED HERE AND GO TO SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND GET A TRADE HERE OF THEIR CHOICE.

I KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE STAYED THERE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GOT IT.

>>HIS FAMILY UNDERSTOOD EARLY THAT HE WAS THE GIFTED CHILD, THAT HE WAS THE SPECIAL ONE.

AND THEY HELPED MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIM TO GROW.

>>IN 1948, E J FINISHED THE EIGHTH GRADE AT ST.

AUGUST TIN SCHOOL FOR BLACK CHILDREN.

A FEW MONTHS LATER HIS TRAIN TICKET TO CALIFORNIA ARRIVED.

HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD AND HIS MOTHER FELT IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO LEAVE LOUISIANA.

>>YOU SPEAK TO THE OTHERS FIRST, THE ONES WHO HAD BROUGHT THE FOOD, THOSE FOR WHOM HE HAD RUN ERRANDS AS LONG BACK AS THEY CAN REMEMBER, READ LETTERS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT READ, WROTE THEIR LETTERS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT WRITE OR SHAMED FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO DEPICT THEIR FEELINGS.

THEY WERE QUIET TODAY MORE THAN USUAL, NODDED INSTEAD OF SPEAKING.

THEY DID NOT SAY GOOD-BYE, TAKE CARE, LEARN.

THEY SAID ALL THAT ALREADY.

BECAUSE THEY HAD ALWAYS PUT SUCH TRUST IN HIM THEY KNEW HE WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT.

THEN HE TURNED TO HIS AUNT.

SHE SAT ON THE FLOOR IN THE DOOR AS SHE ALWAYS DID WHEN SHE HAD COMPANY IN THE HOUSE IN THE SUMMER.

IN WINTER SHE SAT ON THE FLOOR BY THE FIREPLACE.

I AM GOING, HE SAID.

>>WE DIDN'T WANT NOBODY TO LEAVE, ESPECIALLY THOSE YOUNGSTERS.

WE DIDN'T WANT NOBODY TO LEAVE.

BUT HE WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL, SO HE LEFT.

AND THAT WAS IT.

>>HE WOULD-CSH THAT WOULD COME UP, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

HE WAS GOING TO GO, EVEN IF HE HAD TO WORK AND THEN GO TO SCHOOL.

HE WAS GOING TO COMPLETE HIS EDUCATION.

AND HE HAD DONE JUST THAT.

>>IT DRAW TEARS TO MANY PEOPLE EYES WHEN HE LEFT TO GET ON THAT BUS TO GO, BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER BEEN NO FURTHER THAN NEW ROADS OR MAYBE NEW ORLEANS.

MAYBE NEW ORLEANS.

AND GOING THAT FAR ALONE, IT DID SOMETHING TO US, TO ALL OF US.

>>THAT NIGHT WE GOT TOGETHER IN THE ROAD AND DISCUSSED HIS LEAVING, WHERE HE WAS AT THAT TIME OF NITRIDING THE BUS.

>>WE FELT LOST WITHOUT EARNY.

AND WE MISSED HIM A LOT.

>>HAD I STAYED ANOTHER 5 YEARS I COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN.

I COULD HAVE BEEN BITTER AS SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, SOME OF THE KIDS I GREW UP WITH WERE BY THAT AGE, BY THE TIME THEY GREW UP.

>>THE SMALL NAVEL TOWN OF VALLEJO ACROSS THE BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO OPENED UP A NEW WORLD.

AT HIGH SCHOOL HE RAN TRACK AND PLAYED FOOTBALL BUT HE MISSED HIS AUNT, SISTER AND BROTHERS, GRANDMOTHER AND PEOPLE OF THE QUARTERS.

LONELY HE HUNG OUT A STREET QUARTERS WITH HIS FRIENDS, BUT HIS STEP FATHER A STRONG DISCIPLINARIAN TOLD HIM GET OFF THE BLOCK.

>>HE SAYS IF YOU STAY ON THE BLOCK YOU WILL GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG IN THESE KIND OF TOWNS.

SO I HAD A CHOICE OF TWO PLACES.

LIBRARY OR YMCA.

AND I WENT TO YMCA.

I PUT ON BOXING GLOVES.

I KNEW HOW TO BOX.

THAT WAS ANOTHER THING I HAD LEARNED OUT HERE, HOW TO BOX.

THIS GUY WAS GOOD.

AND HE HIT ME, JUST NUMBED MY JAW.

I JUST TOOK THOSE GLOVES OFF THEN AND DECIDED TO GO TO THE LIBRARY.

I FIGURED THEY WOULDN'T HIT QUITE AS HARD THERE.

>>IN HIS 16 YEARS E J HAD NEVER BEEN INSIDE A LIBRARY, THE NEW ROADS LIBRARY DID NOT ADMIT BLACK PEOPLE.

THE ONLY BOOKS HE HAD SEEN IN THE QUARTERS WERE THE OLD PEOPLE'S BIBLES OR HIS OWN OUT OF DATE SCHOOL BOOKS.

THE CARNAGY LIBRARY IN VALLEJO WAS A PLACE HE COULD NOT HAVE IMAGINED IN LOUISIANA.

>>EVERYWHERE HE LOOKED, THERE WERE BOOKS.

TWO FLOORS OF BOOKS.

HE COULD LOSE HIMSELF BETWEEN STACKS AND NO ONE WOULD INTERFERE WITH HIM ALL DAY.

HE BEGAN TO READ INDISCRIMINANTLY AT FIRST.

IT DIDN'T MATTER THE SUBJECT AS LONG AS HE WAS READING SOMETHING.

ANATOMY OR BIOLOGY, HISTORY, ART, MUSIC.

HE WOULD OPEN A BOOK, READ A PAGE OR TWO, RETURN THE BOOK TO THE SHELF AND SELECT ANOTHER.

THEN HE DISCOVERED THE FICTION SECTION ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

HE WALKED BETWEEN THE STACKS READING TITLE AND PASSING HIS HAND OVER THE SPINE OF THE BOOK COVER.

ISLE AFTER ISLE HE WOULD STOP A MOA., MOVE ON, STOP A MOMENT, MOVE ON AGAIN.

>>HOME SICK E J LOOKED FOR BOOKS ABOUT THE SOUTH, ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WORKED THE LAND, ABOUT TREES, RIVERS, DIRT ROADS.

HE DEVOURED WORKED OF JOHN STEINBECK, GEE DEMU, THE WORK OF BLACK WRITERS WAS LARGELY UNAVAILABLE THEN, EVEN IN CALIFORNIA.

WHITE WRITERS DIDN'T PORTRAY TRUTH OF THE BLACK CHARACTERS.

E J WANTED TO SEE THE PEOPLE HE KNEW, TO HEAR THEIR VOICES.

HE DECIDED TO WRITE HIS OWN BOOK.

>>I DIDN'T HAVE A DESK OR ANYTHING.

WE HAD A LITTLE BABY, MICHAEL.

I HAD * I WOULD LOOK AFTER MICHAEL AND LYE THERE AND WRITE WITH LONG HAND, YOU KNOW.

THE OLD MAN THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY.

HE HAD A THICK CREOLE ACCENT.

THAT BOY GOING CRAZY, RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.

I SAID I AM NOT REALLY CRAZY.

MY MOTHER DIDN'T CARE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

SHE DID GET ME A TYPE WRITER AFTER I WROTE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A NOVEL IN LONG HAND.

I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SETTING MARGIN.

I TYPED ON BOTH SIDES THE PAPER.

I CUT THE PAPER IN HALF BECAUSE IT IS THE SIZE OF A BOOK.

EVERY MISTAKE YOU CAN POSSIBLY MAKE, I MADE THEM DOUBLY.

AND EVENTUALLY I WOULD SEND THIS THING TO NEW YORK AND OF COURSE THEY'D SEND IT BACK.

I WOULD BURN IT IN THE INSIN RAY TORR IN THE BACKYARD.

>>DISCOURAGED E J TOOK A BREAK FROM WRITING.

HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1951.

THEN ATTENDED VALLEJO JR.

COLLEGE.

DRAFTED INTO THE U.S.

ARMY HE SERVED FOR 2 YEARS ON GWAM.

THERE HE TRIED WRITING AGAIN AND WON PRIZES IN A COUPLE SHORT STORY CONTESTS.

>>AFTER EARNY WENT TO SERVICE AND CAME BACK AND JUST KEPT ON ON HIS WRITING ON HIS MIND, I KNOW IT HAD TO BE VERY DETERMINED TO DO THAT.

HE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A WRITER.

>>WITH MONEY FROM THE G I BILL GAINES ENROLLED AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE COLLEGE UNDER TEACHERS AS NOVELIST MARK HARRIS HE STUDIED CLASSICS OF LIST LITERATURE.

GAINES STRUGGLED TO WRITE ESSAYS AND COMPOSITIONS EARNED TERRIBLE GRADES.

HIS TEACHERS AGREED TO LET HIM WRITE SHORT STORIES INSTEAD AND GRADES IMPROVED.

IN 1956 CAMPUS LITERARY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED ONE OF HIS STORIES, THE TURTLES.

LITERARY AGENT DOROTHEA OPEN HYMER READ THAT STORY AND ASKED TO MEET THE AUTHOR.

>>SHE SAID WHENEVER YOU HAVE WRITTEN SOMETHING, LET ME SEE IT.

AND NO ONE ELSE SAID THAT.

OF COURSE AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE, MY INSTRUCTOR SAW ONE OR TWO STORIES.

IT IS ALL THE SAME THING.

BUT AFTER THAT, THERE WAS NO ONE TO SAY OKAY, WHATEVER YOU EVER WRITE LET ME SEE IT REGARDLESS OF IF IT IS A NOVEL OR SHORT STORY, REGARDLESS OF THE LENGTH.

THAT'S THE GREATEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A YOUNG WRITER.

>>THAT DAY THE ASPIRING LOUISIANA WRITER AND THE SOPHISTICATED GERMAN EXPATRIOT BEGAN A RELATIONSHIP THAT WOULD LAST FOR 31 YEARS UNTIL OPPENHEIMER'S DEATH IN 1987.

MORE THAN JUST AN AGENT SHE WAS GAINES' FRIEND AND TEACHER.

WITH HERN DURJMENT AND SOMETIMES FINANCIAL SUPPORT HE CONTINUED TO WRITE.

IN 1957, GAINES GRADUATED FROM SAN FRANCISCO STATE AND WON A FELLOWSHIP TO STUDY WRITING AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.

THERE HE HOMED HIS CRAFT UNDER SUCH TEACHERS AS WALLACE STEGNER.

IN THE LATE 50'S THE BEAT MOVEMENT BROUGHT NEW EXCITEMENT TO THE BAY AREA.

GAINES BEGAN COLLECTING JAZZ AND BLUES RECORDS THAT WOULD INFLUENCE THE RHYTHM OF HIS PROS.

WHEN HE LEFT STANFORD GAINES SET A DEADLINE.

HE GAVE HIMSELF 10 YEARS TO MAKE IT AS A WRITER.

>>I KNOW HE DID TELL ME, I WILL BE A WRITER.

I WILL.

NOT I WANT TO TRY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I WILL BE A WRITER.

>>AS A STRUGGLING WRITER GAINES LIVED IN A ONE ROOM APARTMENT WITH NO TELEPHONE AND A MURPHY BED THAT PULLED DOWN FROM THE WALL.

HE ATE HOT DOGS AND CAN PORK AND BEANS OR WENT ACROSS THE STREET FOR DINNER WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER WHO HAD LEFT LOUISIANA IN THE 1950'S.

GAINES TOOK A STEERVES OF PART TIME JOBS, DISH WASHER, MAIL ROOM CLERK, POSTAL WORKER.

BUT HE ALWAYS FOUND TIME TO WRITE.

>>GO WITHOUT SHOES, GO WITHOUT CARS, GO WITHOUT TELEPHONES, GO WITHOUT AN AUTOMOBILE, GO WITHOUT COLOR TELEVISION, GO WITHOUT ANYTHING UNTIL YOU CAN -- IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER, UNTIL YOU CAN BECOME A SUCCESS, UNTIL YOU CAN DO THINGS.

AND ONCE YOU MADE THAT DECISION THAT THIS IS WHAT I WILL SACRIFICE AND BECOME A WRITER, YOU WILL NOT LET ANYONE IN THE WORLD TELL YOU HOW TO WRITE.

GAINES SAT AT HIS TINY KITCHEN TABLE WRITING FOR 6, 8, 12 HOURS A DAY.

BETWEEN 1958 AND 19634, HE PUBLISHED SHORT STORIES THAT RECALL HIS PLANTATION CHILDHOOD BUT ALSO REFLECTED THE GROWING UNREST OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.

ONE OF THOSE STORIES, "THE SKY IS GRAY", HAS BEEN REPRINTED.

>>THE CHARACTER OF THE MOTHER IN THE STORY AND THE CHARACTER OF THE LITTLE BOY ARE AMONG THE MOST VIVID CREATIONS IN ALL OF 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN FICTION.

IT IS JUST EXTRAORDINARY.

>>I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF THIS YOUNG BOY IN THE COLD.

HE PHRASES IT AS TRYING TO BE A MAN.

BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT.

IT IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN YOUR DIGNITY IN A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU ARE IN PAIN, IN SUCH PAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS HARD TO JUST MAINTAIN YOUR CORRECT POSTURE LET ALONE YOUR DIGNITY.

>>JAMES TURN THAT COLLAR RIGHT BACK DOWN.

YOU ARE NOT A BUM.

YOU'RE A MAN.

>>THAT IN ESSENCE IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES IN GAINES' TEXT.

IT IS ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE WITHIN THE 20TH CENTURY CONTEXT, TO BE A MAN.

>>BUT ANYBODY AT ANY TIME IT SEEMS TO ME, MAYBE 100 YEARS FROM NOW, WHO PICKS UP "THE SKY IS GRAY" AND READS IT WILL HAVE A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT IS THE HONESTY, EXPERIENCE OF ERNEST GAINES HIMSELF HAD HAD.

HE IS WRITING OUT OF HIS OWN EXPERIENCE.

>>GAINES CONCENTRATED ON SHORT STORIES UNTIL AN EDITOR TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THEM.

HE REMEMBERED THE BOOK HE HAD WRITTEN AT 16.

GAINES REREAD TURGENIA ONE OF THE RUSSIAN WRITERS HE SAW IN THE LIBRARY AND USED AS A MODEL FOR SCENES OF COUNTRY LIFE.

LIKE ALL YOUNG WRITERS GAINES WANTED TO FIND THE VOICE THAT WAS SURELY UNIQUE, HIS OWN.

>>DURING THAT TIME, MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, WERE LEAVING THE COUNTRY.

THEY WERE GOING TO EUROPE.

AND THEY WERE GOING TO AFRICA.

THEY WERE GOING TO SOUTH AMERICA, MEXICO.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ALONG.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THAT SUMMER JOINING FRIENDS OF MINE WHO HAD ALREADY GONE TO MEXICO.

>>JAMES H MEREDITH IS FORMALLY ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI ENDING ONE CHAPTER IN THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO DESEGREGATE THE UNIVERSITY.

>>IN THE FALL OF 1962 THE NATION WATCHED ANOTHER YOUNG MAN FROM THE SOUTH DISPLAY GRACE AND OPPRESSION.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN SAN FRANCISCO, ERNEST GAINES WAS MOVED BY HIS COURAGE.

>>AFTER HE WENT THERE AND I WAS TRYING TO WRITE ABOUT THE SOUTH.

I WAS TRYING TO WRITE "CATHERINE CARMIER" AT THAT TIME AND I HAD BEEN TRYING TO WRITE THAT BOOK FOR THE LAST 3, 4 YEARS.

3 YEARS.

I REALIZED NOW THAT I HAD TO GO THERE.

I HAD TO GO BACK TO LOUISIANA TO REALLY BE ABLE TO WRITE THE BOOK.

HAVING NOT GONE TO OLE MISS I MAE NOT HAVE GONE BACK TO LOUISIANA AT THAT TIME.

ONE CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM ONE'S WORK.

ONE MUST FACE ONE'S WORK IF HE IS GOING TO WRITE SERIOUSLY AND DO ANYTHING WORTHWHILE.

HE MUST LOOK IT DIRECTLY IN THE FACE.

I KNOW NOW THAT IT WAS THE GREATEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME IN MY WRITING CAREER.

>>THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1963 WERE SPIRITUAL AND ARTISTIC TURNING POINT FOR GAINES.

HE RETURNED TO LOUISIANA, TO HIS ROOTS.

HE WANTED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIS PAST., TO HEAR THOSE VOICES AGAIN.

HE VISITED THE PLANTATION OFTEN AND REALIZED THAT THE LIFE THERE HAD CHANGED DRASTICALLY IN THE YEARS SINCE HE HAD LEFT.

CAJUNS HAD TAKEN OVER THE GOOD FARM LAND, SQUEEZING OUT THE BLACKS.

AT RIVER LAKE PLANTATION THE SURVIVING SONS OF P C MAJOR DIED BREAKING BOND THAT HELD PEOPLE OF SHERRY QUARTERS TOGETHER.

>>THAT'S WHEN THE QUARTERS REALLY STARTED FALLING APART, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS LOST.

IT WAS LIKE A SHEEP WITHOUT SHEPHERDS.

NOBODY KNEW WHAT TO DO SO THE QUARTERS STARTED FALLING APART.

AFTER MR.

JONES DIED WELL THAT WAS THE END OF THE QUARTERS.

>>I THINK FOR GAINES WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THIS LOSS OF STABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY, OF A WAY OF LIFE THAT HE KNOWS, THAT HAD A GREAT DEAL OF VALUE, EVEN IF THE VALUE FOR ESPECIALLY THE BLACK CHARACTERS IS ESSENTIALLY FORGED IN OPPRESSION, THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSCEND THAT, TO CREATE THINGS OF BEAUTY, OF LOVE, OF COMMUNITY.

THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.

SOME OF THE THINGS GET LOST IN THE CHANGE.

>>AFTER GAINES RETURNED TO SAN FRANCISCO IN THE SUMMER OF 63 HE FINISHED THE NOVEL HE HAD TRIED TO WRITE SINCE HE WAS 16.

"CATHERINE CARMIER" WAS PUBLISHED IN 1964.

>>I STARTED EVERY YEAR THEN TO GO BACK, SOMETIMES TWICE A YEAR.

MOST OF THE TIMES TWICE A YEAR.

I THINK AFTER 65.

EACH TIME I WENT BACK, I REALIZED THAT I WAS REFILLING THE WELL.

I WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE OUT OF IT TO PUT INTO MY BOOKS.

>>HE DID NOT LIKE THE WAY HE WAS FEELING.

HE WAS FEELING EMPTY.

HE DID NOT LIKE BEING EMPTY.

UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE THINGS, UNABLE TO ASSOCIATE HIMSELF WITH THINGS.

HE DID NOT LIKE BEING UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE GRAVES.

HE DID NOT LIKE BEING ABLE TO ASSOCIATION WITH THE PEOPLE.

HE DID NOT LIKE BEING UNABLE TO GO TO THE CHURCH WITH HIS AUNT, DRINK IN THE SIDE ROOM WITH HIS BROTHER.

WHAT THEN?

WAS IT TO BE THERE?

NO.

THAT WAS NOT IT EITHER.

IF NEITHER HERE NOR THERE NOR THE LIVING NOR THE DEAD, THEN WHAT?

>>I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GAINES MAKES AWFULLY CLEAR TO MOST OF US IS THAT THERE IS A PAIN IN LOSS, IN THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN CHILDREN ARE EDUCATED BEYOND THAT OF THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.

THERE IS A GAP.

THERE IS A KIND OF DIVIDE BETWEEN THEM.

AND IT IS ALWAYS PAINFUL.

>>IN 1967, GAINES MET HIS SELF IMPOSED 10 YEAR DEADLINE TO MAKE IT AS A WRITER WHEN HE EARNED CRITICAL PRAISE FOR A SECOND NOVEL OF LOVE AND DUST.

THE BOOK WAS INSPIRED BY LIGHTNING HOPKINS BLUES SONG COUPLED WITH GAINES' RECOLLECTION OF A BAR ROOM BRAWL IN LOUISIANA.

THE PLOT CENTERED ON TWO INTERRACIAL LOVE AFFAIRS.

GAINES LOOKED AT A COMPLICATED SOCIAL HIERARCHY AND CONSEQUENCES OF BREAKING UNWRITTEN RULES.

>>WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER IN THE QUARTERS I KNEW THAT EVERYBODY IN EVERY FAMILY WASN'T THE SAME, BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE A FAMILY WITH SOME EXTREMELY BLACK COME PLEKTED PEOPLE.

THEN HERE IS ONE CHILD WHO IS VERY FAIR COMPLECTED.

YOU KNEW THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERCHANGE GOING ON BETWEEN THE WHITE AND BLACK IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT WASN'T A SITUATION WHERE EVERYTHING WAS STERILE.

THE STORY WAS VERY REALISTIC TO ME.

I PROBABLY GOT MORE EXCITEMENT OUT OF THAT BOOK THAN I DID THE OTHER ONES.

>>IT WASN'T TOO LONG AFTER HE WENT TO THE BOOK HOUSE THAT AUNT CAROLINE STARTED ABOUT HIS EYES AND TONGUE.

SHE WOULD NEVER SAY MIND YOUR BUSINESS.

SHE WOULD NEVER SAY BRING YOUR EYES BACK WHERE THEY BELONG OR STOP UP YOUR EARS.

SHE WOULD SAY TWO WORDS.

MR.

GRANT.

PAUL BULLY UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT THOSE WORDS MEANT.

IT STARTED THE FIRST NIGHT BON BON CAME TO THE HOUSE.

IT WAS SUMMER JUST LIKE IT WAS NOW.

HE HAD TIED THE HORSE AT THE GATE AND WALKED TOWARD THE HOUSE LIKE IT WAS HIS OWN.

HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING.

HE SAID SOMETHING SOFTLY TO PAUL EVEN WHO HAD BEEN SITTING IN A CHAIR BY THE DOOR AND FOLLOWED HIM INSIDE.

THEY TALKED A FEW MINUTES.

THEN THEY HAD GOTTEN ON THE BED.

ANYBODY WHO SLEPT ON A CORN SHACK MATTRESS DON'T HAVE TO BE THE TOLD THE NOISE ONE CAN MAKE.

GOOD LORD PAUL BULLY SAID WHAT THE WORLD HE GOT THERE.

MR.

GRANT AUNT CAROLINE SAID ONE DAY AFTER A WHILE BON BON CAME OUT, GOT ON THE HORSE AN RODE AWAY.

A FEW MINUTES LATER PAUL EVEN CAME BACK OUT IN THE GALLERY AND CAROLINE, PAUL BULLY PRETENDED THEY HADN'T BEEN LISTENING TO ANYTHING.

HER FATHER UP THE QUARTER, PEOPLE WERE SINGING IN THE CHURCH.

SOUNDS LIKE HIS VOICE AUNT CAROLINE SAID.

SHE LISTENED TO THE SINGING A WHILE.

THAT'S COBB SHE SAID.

WHO ELSE GOT A HEAVY VOICE LIKE THAT?

>>HIS WORK IS NOT FULL OF LESS THAN MUCHING AND TORTURINGS AND WHIPPING AND MURDERS.

WHEN SOME OF THE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THEY'RE NOT THE MAIN STUFF THAT GETS FOCUSED ON.

IT IS THE ORDINARY MISSERIES AND SUFFERING AND JOYS AND LOVES AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ORDINARY PLAIN PEOPLE THAT USUALLY DON'T GET A VOICE IN LITERATURE.

>>IN 1968 GAINES PUBLISHED 5 SHORT STORIES IN A COLLECTION CALLED BLOOD LINE.

HIS CENTRAL CHARACTERS RANGED FROM A 6 YEAR OLD BOY TO AN ELDERLY WOMAN.

THE STORIES DEAL WITH SERIOUS ISSUES, MANHOOD, CIVIL RIGHTS, SURVIVAL WITH DIGNITY, RACIAL SEPARATION.

AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE FULL OF HUMOR THAT CAPTURES HALF TRAGIC, HALF COMIC NATURE OF LIFE IN THE SEGREGATED SOUTH.

>>THOSE STORIES IN BLOOD LINE THAT HE CAN SEE AFTER THIS PERIOD OF INTENSE DEDICATION.

THEY WORK AND THEY SUDDENLY COME OUT IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WAY.

IN MY MIND IT WAS THAT KIND OF ARTISTIC SKILL AND FEELING, DEPTH OF FEELING.

>>FOR SOMEONE LIKE A FAULKNER AND CERTAINLY WELTY AND KATHERINE ANN PORTER 20TH CENTURY WHITE SOUTHERN AUTHORS WHO CERTAINLY RELIED VERY MUCH UPON MEMORY, THE NECESSITY OF REMEMBERING AND OUT OF THAT REMEMBERING TELLING, WE HAVE I THINK CORRESPONDS IN THE FICTION OF ERNEST GAINES.

>>ERNEST JUST WAS STANDING ON THE GALLERY WATCHING THE DUST RISING OVER THE FIELD AND JUST CRYING SWEET PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE SOUTH, SWEET PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE SOUTH.

JUST WATCHING THE DUST RING IN HER HANDS AND CRYING.

SHE SAW ME STANDING THERE -- >>IN HIS FIRST 3 BOOKS GAINES ESTABLISHED A STYLE AND REVEALED A MASTERFUL SENSE OF PLACE.

HE CREATED WONDERFUL CHARACTERS, MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH DISTINCTIVE AND MEMORABLE VOICES.

BUT NO OTHER VOICE CREATED BY ERNEST GAINES SPEAKS TO HIS READERS LIKE THAT OF MISS JANE PITTMAN.

>>MY MISTRESS TOLD ME TO STOP STANDING THERE GAPING WHILE THEY ROAD AND GIVE TROOPS SOME WATER.

>>GAINES HAD OFTEN DELVED INTO THE PAST.

NOW HE WENT EVEN FURTHER BACK.

TO GET THE HISTORY RIGHT, HE SPENT 2 YEARS RESEARCHING SLAVERY, THE CIVIL WAR, RECONSTRUCTION, HUEY LONG, WORLD WAR II, AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

HE READ SLAVE NARRATIVES AND STUDIED PHOTOGRAPHS OF FORMER SLAVES.

>>HE HAS DONE HIS HOMEWORK IN REAL LIFE AND IN THE ARCHIVES.

AND HE ONLY GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF JUST WRITING DOWN NATURALLY AND SIMPLY WHAT PEOPLE SAY.

>>WHEN "THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN" WAS PUBLISHED IN 1971 THE BOOK WAS HAILED AS A MASTERPIECE NOMINATED FOR THE PRIZE BY NATIONAL BOOK AWARD.

SOME SAW IT AS CONDENSED HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE.

TO GAINES MISS JANE WAS FIRST AND LAST AN INDIVIDUAL, MODELING HER ON HIS AUNT AND THE WOMEN WHO CAPTURED ON HER PORCH.

IT WAS SO WELL THAT SOME REVIEWS ASSUMED SHE WAS A REAL PERSON.

>>NOW THAT IS THE ART THAT CONCEALS ART FOR SURE.

>>THAT BOOK IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A REALLY HUGE BEAUTIFUL MASSIVE GIGANTIC TREE.

THAT'S WHAT THAT BOOK IS LIKE.

>>THERE IS AN OLD OAK TREE UP THE QUARTERS WHERE AUNT LOU AND THEM USED TO STAY.

THAT TREE HAS BEEN HERE I AM SURE SINCE THIS PLACE BEEN HERE AND IT HAS SEEN MUCH, MUCH AND IT KNOWS MUCH, MUCH.

AND I AM NOT ASHAMED TO SAY I HAVE TALKED TO IT.

AND I'M NOT CRAZY EITHER.

IT'S NOT NECESSARY CRAZINESS WHEN YOU TALK TO TREES AND RIVERS.

BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT THING WHEN YOU TALK TO DITCHES AND BAYOUS.

A DITCH AIN'T NOTHING.

AND A BAYOU AIN'T TOO MUCH EITHER.

BUT RIVERS AND TREES, UNLESS OF COURSE IT IS A CHINA BALL TREE.

ANYBODY CAUGHT TALKING TO A CHINA BALL TREE OR A THORN TREE GOT TO BE CRAZY.

WHEN YOU TALK TO AN OAK TREE, THAT'S BEEN HERE ALL THESE YEARS AND KNOWS MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW, IT'S NOT CRAZINESS.

IT'S JUST THE NOBILITY YOU RESPECT.

>>IS JANE PITTMAN ALWAYS AS YOU WRITE AT A SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL, HAS JANE PITTMAN BECOME SOMETHING TO WHICH YOU WILL STRIVE AS LONG AS YOU WRITE?

THAT IS, TO CREATE OTHER PEOPLE AND BRING THEM TO LIFE.

>>I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MY LAST BOOK "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE" THAT I DO NEARLY AS WELL IS BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE WANTED ANOTHER MISS JANE.

YOU KNOW, MISS JANE PITTMAN RISE AGAIN OR THE DAUGHTER OF JANE PITTMAN, THAT SORT OF THING.

AND I JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE.

I TRY TO WRITE AS WELL AS I CAN EACH TIME I SIT DOWN.

AND I THINK I DO A LITTLE BETTER EACH TIME.

>>GAINES WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED WITH HOW THE RACIAL PAST AFFECTED COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FATHERS AND SONS.

"IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE" WAS A BOOK HE FELT HE HAD TO WRITE.

HE STRUGGLED WITH IT FOR 7 YEARS.

IN 1978 HE PUBLISHED A NOVEL ABOUT PHILLIP MARTIN A SMALL TOWN CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER AND THE ABANDONED SON WHO RETURNS TO HAUNT HIM.

>>PHILLIP TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND HE STOOD UP.

HE WAS REAL TIRED.

HE HELD ON TO THE BACK OF THE CHAIR WHILE HE LOOKED DOWN.

I WAS TELLING MY BOY TODAY THAT WHAT KEPT US APART IS A PARALYSIS THAT WE INHERITED FROM SLAVERY, PARALYSIS KEPT ME ON THAT BED THAT DAY HE NOOKED ON THE DOOR.

PARALYSIS KEPT ME ON THE FLOOR SATURDAY WHEN I SHOULD HAVE GOT UP AND TOLD THE PEOPLE WHO HE WAS.

I THOUGHT 15 YEARS AGO WHEN I FOUND RELIGION I HAD OVERCOME MY PARALYSIS.

BUT IT IS STILL THERE.

HOW YOU GOING TO GET RID OF IT?

HOW YOU GOING TO SHAKE IT OFF?

>>CRITICAL REACTION TO "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE" WAS MIXED.

BUT GAINES HAD RAISED PROVOCATIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MANHOOD AND POLITICAL I AM PO TENSE OF BLACK MEN IN AMERICA.

>>IN 1983 GAINES AGAIN USED THE PLANTATION QUARTERS AS A SETTING, HIS NOVEL A GATHERING OF OLD MEN GIVES VOICE TO A DOZEN ELDERLY CHARACTERS WHO TAKE A STAND AFTER A LIFETIME OF ABUSE.

>>IF A BLACK IN LOUISIANA THERE ARE WAYS TO SAY HE IS AWFUL, A BAD NIGGER AND IT WAS EASY.

YOU KNOW, HE WOULD HAVE TO CONFRONT LAW OR THE OUTLAWS IF HE STOOD AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN HIS OWNER OF THE PLACE WILL HE LIVED, THE CLANS, THE SHERIFF, OR THE POLICE OR WHOEVER.

IF HE STOOD UP AT THAT TIME.

MANY BLACKS WHO DID STAND UP HAD TO LEAVE DURING THE NIGHT.

THEY HAD TO LEAVE.

MY GREAT GRANDFATHER HAD TO LEAVE DURING THE NIGHT BECAUSE HE STOOD.

>>SET IN THE LATE 1970'S THE STORY IS TOLD IN MULTIPLE VOICES, A TECHNIQUE GAINES HAD LEARNED FROM FAULKNERS AS I LAY DYING.

IN REMEMBERING THE OLD DAYS AND THE INDIGNITIES THEY SUFFERED THE OLD MEN USED COMMUNAL STORY TELLING AS BOTH LAMENT AND CELEBRATION.

>>NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF ALL PROOF THAT BLACK PEOPLE EVER FARMED THIS LAND WITH PLOWS AND MULES, LIKE IF THEY HAD NOTHING FROM THE START BUT THEIR MOTOR MACHINES.

SURE, ONE DAY THEY WILL GET RID OF THE PROOF THAT WE EVER WAS.

BUT THEY AIN'T GOING TO DO IT WHILE I'M STILL HERE.

MOM AND POP WORKED TOO HARD IN THESE FIELDS.

THEIR MOM AND THEIR POP WORKED TOO HARD IN THESE SAME FIELDS.

THEIR MOM AND THEIR POP PEOPLE WORKED TOO HARD, TOO HARD TO HAVE THE TRACTOR JUST COME IN THAT GRAVEYARD AND DESTROY ALL PROOF THAT THEY EVER WAS.

>>IN THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN GAINES' HONOR OF THE WOMEN OF THE MANTATION WHICH SHOWED LOVE AND COMFORT, IN THE GATHERING OF OLD MEN HE PAID HOMAGE TO THE MEN HE SPENT HOURS TALKING TO ON HIS TRIPS BACK HOME.

>>ONE MAN I KNOW WAS ZINO, WALTER ZINO SENIOR.

HE WAS A MAN WHO AT THAT TIME WE CALLED A MAN AMONG MEN BECAUSE HE DIDN'T -- IN OTHER WORDS, NOBODY SAID, ORDERED HIM AROUND TOO MUCH.

>>DURING THAT TIME JOEY BEAR, GEORGE WILLIAMS, JIMMY BROOKS.

>>FATHER SAYS HOW DO YOU WRITE FAULKNER?

I SAID I LISTEN TO THE VOICES.

HE LISTENED TO THEM ALL THE TIME, BOTH LITERALLY.

PEOPLE HE KNEW AND SO ON.

BUT ALSO IN HIS OWN PRIVACY.

HE IS STILL HEARING VOICES.

THAT'S HOW HE WROTE HIS STORIES.

I THINK ERNEST GAINES HAS THAT, YOU KNOW.

HE LISTENS TO THE VOICES.

>>FOR MOST OF US WRITING OUT OF THE SOUTH, WE JUST ARE HELD SPELL BOUND BY THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE.

>>BY MINING THE PAST FOR SUBJECT MATTER, GAINES OFFENDED SOME CRITICS WHO CHARGED THAT IT WAS IRRELEVANT TO CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.

OTHERS PRAISED HIM FOR SEEING THAT THE PAST WAS VERY MUCH ALIVE IN THE PRESENT.

>>MY EARLY YEARS OF WRITING THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME I SHOULD NOT WRITE ABOUT THIS KIND OF LIFE, THAT THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD BE FORGOTTEN.

BUT WHAT OTHER LIFE DID I HAVE?

>>HAD FOUND THAT PLACE TWO ROWS BEHIND THE TABLE WILL HE SAT WITH HIS COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY.

HIS GOD MOTHER BECAME IMMOBILE AS A GREAT STONE OR AS ONE OF OUR OAK OR CYPRUS STUMPS IS -- >>GAINES RETURNS TO THE LATE 1940'S IN THE MOST RECENT NOVEL, "A LESSON BEFORE DYING" >>IT IS NOT THAT I AM TRYING TO GO BACK TO THE 40'S AFTER WRITING ABOUT THE 70'S, BUT THAT IT IS A STORY OR SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO -- I FEEL THAT I NEED TO WRITE ABOUT.

>>THE STORY IS TOLD BY A TEACHER WHO STRUGGLES WITH HIS MOST CHALLENGING STUDENT, A YOUNG MAN SENTENCED TO DIE FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT.

>>THE JUDGE TOLD JEFFERSON THAT HE HAD BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF THE CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST HIM AND THAT HE SAW NO REASON HE SHOULD NOT PLAY * PAY FOR THE PART HE PLAYED IN THE CRIME.

DEATH BY ELECTROCUTION, THE GOVERNOR SHOULD SETTLE THE DATE.

>>SAN QUENTIN IS NOT VERY FAR FROM HER * HERE.

EVER SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE I HAVE HEARD ABOUT AND READ ABOUT AND HEARD ON THE RADIO ABOUT PEOPLE BEING EXECUTED AND THE GAS CHAMBER IN SAN QUENTIN.

AND I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW DOES IT FEEL TO KNOW ON TUESDAY I WILL DIE.

IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAUNTED ME ALL MY LIFE.

AND I'VE SEEN MYSELF WALK INTO THIS THING.

I HAVE SEEN MYSELF WALK INTO THE GAS CHAMBER OR ELECTRIC CHAIR.

IT IS A THEME I PLAY WITH ALONG WITH EVERYTHING I WRITE, IT IS MANLEYNESS AND WHAT IS MANLEYNESS AND HOW DOES ONE FACE ANYTHING?

IT IS A THEME THAT IS IN SO MUCH OF MY WORK, SO MANY OF THE NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES AS WELL.

>>SINCE 1983 GAINES HAS BEEN PROFESSOR OF CREATIVE WRITING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA IN LAFAYETTE.

HE LIVES IN A PLEASANT NEIGHBORHOOD IN A HOUSE DONATED BY FANS OF HIS WORK.

IN A SENSE HE HAS COME HOME AGAIN.

BUT GAINES STILL CONSIDERS CALIFORNIA HOME.

HE STILL KEEPS A FLAT ON THE STREET ON THE SAME BLOCK WHERE HE HAS LIVED SINCE 1963.

SITTING AT HIS DESK OVER LOOKING DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO HE CONTINUES TO WRITE HIS LOUISIANA STORIES.

>>HE ONCE SAID TO ME IF I EVER GET IT EXACTLY RIGHT TO SUIT ME, I MIGHT MOVE ONTO SOME OTHER SUBJECT BUT IT DOESN'T SATISFY ME.

YET I HAVEN'T EXHAUSTED THIS QUEST.

>>I AM THE LAST ONE YET.

I HAVE SEEN THAT THE GRAVES STAYED A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.

BUT I JUST DIDN'T DO IT FOR MY OWN PEOPLE.

DID IT FOR EVERY LAST ONE BURIED BACK THERE UNDER THEM TREES.

AND I DID IT FOR EVERY 4:00 AND EVERY ROSE BUSH AND EVERY CHRISTIAN THAT EVER RODE ON THIS PLACE.

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