Why not see what the ex-slaves said?
'Why, Miss, the only thing I can remember right off hand that we children done was fight and frolic like youngsters will do when they get together.'
John F. Van Hook, Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938, Georgia Narratives, Vol. IV, Pt. 4, p. 73Now Missy, how come you wants to know 'bout dem frolics us had dem days? Most of 'em ended up scandlous, plumb scandlous. At harvest season dere was cornshuckin's, wheat-thrashin's syrup-cookin's, and logrollin's. All dem frolics come in deir own good time. Cornshuckin's was de most fun of 'em all. Evvybody comes from miles around to dem frolics. Soon atter de wuk got started, marster got out his little brown jug, and when it started gwine de rounds de wuk would speed up wid sich singin' as you never heared, and dem Niggers was wuking in time wid de music. Evvy red ear of corn meant an extra swig of liquor for de Nigger what found it. When de wuk was done and dey was ready to go to de tables out in de yard to eat dem big barbeque suppers, dey grabbed up deir marster and tuk him to de big house on deir shoulders. When de supper was et, de liquor was passed some more and dancin' started, and sometimes it lasted all night.
Paul Smith, Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938, Georgia Narratives, Vol. IV, Pt. 3, p. 334.We had plenty of amusements in those days, such as corn-shuckings, dances, running, jumping and boxing contest. Saturday was the big frolicking time, and every body made the most of it. Slaves were allowed to tend little patches of their own, and were often given Saturday afternoons off to work their crops, then when laying by time came, we had more time for our patches. We were allowed all we could make over and above our certin tasks.
David Goodman Gullins, Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938, Georgia Narratives, Vol. IV, Pt. 2, p. 85.We would sing and pray Easter Sunday and on Easter Monday we frolicked and danced all day long! Christmas we allus had plenty good sumpin' to eat and we all got togedder and had lots of fun. We runned up to the big 'ouse early Christmas mornin' and holler out: 'Mornin', Christmas Gif'!' Then they'd give us plenty of Sandy Claus an we would go back to our cabins to have fun twel New Year's day. We knowed Christmas was over and gone when New Year's day come, kazen we got back to wuk that day atter frolickin' all Christmas week.
James Bolton, Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938, Georgia Narratives, Volume IV, Pt. 1, p. 100.