Former Slave Narrative tells story of a Kemper County Riley

In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration sponsored a Federal Writers' Project that chronicled the experience of slavery as remembered by former slaves. The Library of Congress has kept record of those interviews.  

I found one narrative that could quite possibly have a personal connection to our family.  Sam McCullum, a former slave in Kemper County, tells his story about "Kemper Burning" (a family feud where Riley was considered a scapegoat and lynched for alleged murder) and how our possible ancestor, Walter Riley was involved.  Here's an excerpt:

"It started wid Mr. John Gully gittin' shot. Now Mr. Gully were a leadin' man 'mong de white democratic people in Kemper, but dey aint had much chance for 'bout seven years (I disremember jus' how long) on 'count o' white folks lak de Chisolms runnin' ever'thing. Ever'body were sho' it were some' o' de Chisolm crown, but some folks knowed it were dat Nigger, Walter Riley, dat shot Mr. Gully. (But aint nobody ever tol' de sho' 'nough reason why Walter shot Mr. John Gully.)

Click here to read the entire narrative.  Interesting reading!