Subject: Abolitionists

This pamphlet contains the text of a sermon delivered by Rabbi Morris J. Raphall at the Bnai Jeshurun Synagogue in New York City on January 4, 1861, a nationally proclaimed day of fasting. In this sermon, Raphall argues that the Bible does not prohibit slavery and that the institution is justifiable under certain conditions. This Baltimore edition of the sermon, published by James Lucas, reflects the strong pro-slavery sentiments prevalent in the South during the secession crisis. The sermon sparked considerable controversy, earning Raphall both praise in the South and criticism from abolitionists in the North.

Two bookplates of Moses Aaron Dropsie (1821-1905), founder of Dropsie College. One bookplate depicts an open book and Hebrew lettering. The description notes that Dropsie was a Whig candidate for mayor in 1852 and an anti-slavery advocate. The bookplates are undated.

This book, published in 1843, is a collection of letters written by Maria L. Childs detailing her travels and observations in New York. Childs's letters cover a range of topics, including her visit to a German synagogue in September 1841 (pp. 25-35), slavery, Native Americans, and daily life in the city. This is a first edition.

This book contains a phonographically reported transcription of the 1853 Hartford Bible Convention. Notable speakers included Andrew Jackson Davis, William Lloyd Garrison, and Ernestine L. Rose. Rose's speech, in particular, is a significant contribution to American feminist thought, advocating for the rights of all people regardless of sex, race, or origin. The convention's proceedings offer valuable insight into 19th-century American religious, philosophical, and political discourse.

This is a rare first edition of Peter Still's 1856 narrative, recounting his and his wife's experiences of over forty years of slavery in Kentucky and Alabama. The book includes an introduction by Rev. Samuel J. May and an appendix by William H. Furness, D.D. It uniquely highlights the involvement of Jewish brothers, Joseph and Isaac Friedman, in assisting Still's freedom before the Civil War. This narrative was later reprinted by the Jewish Publication Society in 1954.