Author of pick a bale cotton?

The song "Pick a Bale of Cotton" is a traditional African American work song, and therefore doesn't have a single author.

It's important to note that traditional folk songs like this are often passed down orally through generations, evolving and changing along the way. This makes it difficult to pinpoint an original author.

However, the song itself is a testament to the hardships faced by enslaved people during the cotton-growing era in the American South.