Subject: African Americans

This volume contains the Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, passed during the session held in Milledgeville in November and December of 1857. Published in Columbus, Georgia in 1858, this first edition includes various enactments on corporations, banking, internal improvements, probate, and civil and criminal procedures. Of particular interest is the incorporation of the United Hebrew Society of Macon on pages 158-159, a burial society whose incorporators are listed within. The book also includes legislation prohibiting slaves and free people of color from residing separately from their owners, employers, or guardians.

This book recounts the true story of the American brig Commerce, wrecked on the western coast of Africa in August 1815. It details the subsequent enslavement of the surviving officers and crew by wandering Arabs, their experiences in captivity, and their eventual rescue. The narrative includes a copperplate engraving of a circumcision ceremony, considered one of the earliest depictions of this practice in an American book. Published by the author in Hartford, this edition may be a first edition, as it is not found in OCLC. The book also features an appendix with observations on Atlantic winds and currents, a proposed method for visiting Timbuktu, and an Arabic-English vocabulary.

Bill of Sale documenting the sale of an Afro-American individual for $1290 to Franklin Moses in Charleston, South Carolina. The sale took place on January 1, 1857. The document also includes biographical information on Franklin Moses, son of Major Myer Moses, noting his legal career and service in the South Carolina Senate, including his role as chief justice of the state.

Bill of sale documenting the sale of an enslaved twelve-year-old girl named Lucy from Bartlet Sanders to Hayman Levy in Camden, South Carolina, on February 8, 1832. The document includes the names of witnesses: Thoms B Lee and Will E Hughlou. The verso of the document notes "Captured at Mobile, AL, June, 1865 Bob Certra," suggesting its later use as a war souvenir.

Bill of sale documenting the sale of an enslaved Black girl named Emiley by J.S. Riggs of Charleston, South Carolina, on May 10, 1858. The sale price was $375, with deductions for commission, maintenance, and transportation totaling $20.38, resulting in a net price of $354.62. The document features Riggs's advertising 'store card' in the upper left corner, identifying him as a Broker and Auctioneer at 4 State Street, Charleston, S.C. The bill of sale measures 8" x 10".

Single-page printed bill of sale documenting the sale of three enslaved individuals—Fanny and her two children, Martha and William—for $575, and Sally for $425. The seller, Solomon Davis, a Jewish slave dealer from Richmond, Virginia, filled out and signed the document on February 12, 1848. The buyer was Thomas R. Williams. The sale took place in Charleston, South Carolina. This document highlights the involvement of Jewish individuals in the American slave trade.

Bill of sale document from Talbot County, Maryland, dated February 12, 1858, detailing the sale of enslaved individuals: Stephen, Liggy, and their three children, Betty, Lotty, and John, from Daniel Levy to William Aningdale for $1,500. The document consists of three pages measuring 8" x 10".

Bill of sale for the purchase of an enslaved girl, Marie Frances, by Rebecca M. Canter from Jacob Hule, Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina on June 1, 1843. The document details the sale and transfer of ownership of the enslaved person for three hundred dollars.

Carte-de-visite photograph depicting a young Black woman, poorly dressed, holding a white baby in a fine dress. The photograph's reverse features an advertisement for Turner and Cohen, photographers located at 57 Camp Street, New Orleans. This partnership was formed in July 1866; Turner died in September 1866. The photograph is likely from circa 1866.

Carte-de-visite (CDV) portrait photograph of Joel Elias Spingarn at age 3-4. The photograph is backstamped "Gustav Flach...1000 Third Avenue, NYC." Flach's studio was at that address until 1877. The image depicts Spingarn, born in New York City to an upper-middle-class Jewish family, who later became a prominent scholar, academic, and civil rights activist. The description includes details of Spingarn's life, including his academic career at Columbia University, his involvement in Progressive politics, his dismissal from Columbia, his contributions to the NAACP, and the establishment of the Spingarn Medal.

Issue of the Charleston Courier newspaper from Charleston, South Carolina, dated February 7, 1807. This issue contains advertisements for a public sale of an estate including sixty enslaved people, and for a cargo of sugar and brandies. The sale of the sugar and brandies was delayed due to weather.

Deed of sale for an enslaved female for $1500, from Isaac Levy to George B. Shepherd in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, dated November 7, 1855, and recorded November 19, 1855. The deed provides details of the sale and identifies the enslaved person.

Deed of sale for an enslaved woman, dated May 22, 1855, in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. The deed, executed by Isaac Levy, records the sale for $1500.

An envelope advertising Spiegel & Prehs hosiery. The envelope features a vignette of a Black man as a trademark, and indicates that the company is the sole agent for the hosiery, which was made in Germany. The address on the envelope is 47 Walker Street, between Broadway and Church Street, New York, New York. Undated, but likely late 19th or early 20th century based on style.

A brief letter written by A. H. Bund from Graham, North Carolina, to an unidentified recipient in Richmond, Virginia, dated April 25, 1860. The letter mentions a "very dull negro market." The Davis family of Richmond, known slave dealers, are referenced. The letter is part of the collection Arc.MS.56, Box 7, Folder 3.

A three-and-a-half-page letter written by J. Hamilton Criper near Darien, Georgia, to Francis P. Cubin on October 4, 1855. The letter discusses the sale of slaves and mentions Jacob Cohen, a prominent slave dealer in Charleston, South Carolina, who appraised the slaves. The letter highlights Cohen's significant role in the slave trade.

This letter, dated June 25, 1829, was written by Moses Myers of Norfolk, Virginia, to James Nimmo. Myers details a contribution to the American Colonization Society for the transportation of freed slaves from Virginia to Africa and requests that his name be withheld. The letter highlights Jewish involvement in the Colonization Society and offers insights into the social and political climate of Norfolk, Virginia, in 1829.

Handwritten manumission document granting freedom to a slave named Peter in Charleston, South Carolina on March 11, 1807. The document includes multiple signatures, and is a copy of the original, indicating Peter's ownership of the document. The text is written on both sides of the paper.

Marriage license authorizing the marriage of Alexander Barksdale and Hester Stephenson, two formerly enslaved people, in Talbot County, Georgia. Issued April 11, 1868, and witnessed by a Justice of the Peace on April 26, 1868.

Issue of the New-York Tribune newspaper published in New York, New York on January 5, 1861. This issue includes a summary of Reverend Dr. Raphael's misunderstood sermon on slavery.

Issue of Niles' Weekly Register, a newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland on September 11, 1824. This issue contains detailed coverage of the 'Explosion of The Advocate,' focusing on the difficulties faced by Mordecai M. Noah and his newspaper, the National Advocate. The issue includes three typed letters signed by Noah. Additional articles cover a captured runaway slave in Philadelphia and the visit of General Lafayette to New York.

Lead trade token advertising "Smoke Old Virginia Cheroots," manufactured by P. Whitlock. The token, a souvenir of the 1888 Virginia Agricultural, Mechanical, and Tobacco Exposition, features an image of an African American. The obverse reads "SMOKE OLD VIRGINIA CHEROOTS...MANUFACTURED ONLY BY P. WHITLOCK." The reverse reads "SOUVENIR OF THE VIRGINIA AGRICULTURAL, MECHANICAL AND TOBACCO EXPOSITION 1888."

A photograph of Al Jolson. The image dates to circa 1921, based on the donor's information. The photograph is part of Manuscript Collection 1410, located in Oversize box 1, folder 13.

A photograph of Al Jolson. The photograph is dated January 1, 1929. The photograph is part of MS. Coll. 1410, M, Oversize box 1, folder 28.

Printed receipt for the sale of an enslaved person named Bella, age 11, for $940. The receipt is signed by M. Cohen and dated September 2, 1832, in Savannah, Georgia. This document offers valuable insight into the little-documented practice of Jewish involvement in the slave trade in the antebellum South.

This professionally rebound hardcover book, published in 1872 by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C., contains the report of the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. The report, made to the two Houses of Congress on February 19, 1872, and ordered to be printed, details investigations into post-Civil War violence and conditions in Southern states. The first hundred pages focus extensively on Ku Klux Klan activities, including violence and threats. The book also includes state-by-state reports on the treatment of African Americans in the years immediately following the Civil War. This is a first printing; the complete report was eventually published in 15 volumes, but this volume stands alone. The report may contain information related to Samuel Fleishman, either his report or details of his murder by the KKK.

Sharecropping note payable issued by J. Abraham & Bro. in Montgomery, Alabama on March 28, 1871. This document, dating from the Reconstruction era, details cash and supply advances to three individuals, likely formerly enslaved people, who marked their agreement with an "X" and had their names subsequently added and witnessed. The note was witnessed by J. Levy.

This pamphlet contains the speech delivered by Congressman Leonard Myers of Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives on March 24, 1866. Myers, a Republican, addresses the responsibilities of Congress following the Civil War, advocating for strict Congressional control over the defeated Confederate states and outlining his vision for Reconstruction. He emphasizes the importance of liberty regulated by law as the safeguard of the republic. Published by the Congressional Globe Office in Washington, D.C., this 16-page speech is printed in double columns.

Trade card depicting a Black man with a basket. The card is a Thanksgiving Day greeting from Fleischner at 1026 Chestnut Street. The image shows two of three cards. Circa 1885. Part of the collection E, Arc.MS.56, Volume 34, Page 5.

Chromolithograph depicting a highly exaggerated Jewish shoemaker and an African American customer. This anti-Semitic print, likely produced between 1881 and 1890 by Currier & Ives, shows a comical scene where the shoemaker falls off his seat as the shoe sole hits him. Published in the United States.

This archival item consists of a tobacco pouch advertisement for the American Cigar Company. The front features graphics of an old Black man and the text "OLD VIRGINIA CHEROOTS" and "AMERICAN CIGAR COMPANY." The reverse side displays the text "THREE FOR 5 CENTS, BEWARE OF IMITATION." and "MY SIGNATURE P. WHITLOCK." The advertisement also includes biographical information about P. Whitlock, indicating his service in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues during the Civil War and his arrival in the USA in 1854. The pouch was published in Richmond, Virginia, United States, and the date is unknown.

Tobacco wrapper advertisement for the American Cigar Company, dated May 25, 1886. The front features graphics of an old Black man and the text "OLD VIRGINIA CHEROOTS." The back features the text "THREE FOR 5 CENTS, BEWARE OF IMITATION. MY SIGNATURE P. WHITLOCK." Additional handwritten notes on the verso indicate that Philip Whitlock, a Civil War veteran who served in the Richmond Light Infantry Blues, was active in the Jewish community and came to the USA in 1854.

This trade card advertises Julius Meyer & Son, a dry goods and notions store located at 601 & 603 Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia. The front of the card features an illustration of a Black man looking out of a window in his apartment. The illustration is done in a stereotypical manner, with the figure rendered in a lighthearted and humorous style that is considered racist today. The back of the card contains the full advertisement for Julius Meyer & Son.

This trade card advertises the New Clothing Hall, owned by J. Levy, located on Butler Street at the fork in the road opposite the Lawrence Bank in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The front of the card features an illustration of a Black woman holding a white baby. The back of the card is blank.

Trade card depicting a Black man holding an advertisement for boys' suits out of a window. The advertisement mentions two locations: 565.567 Broadway (corner of Prince Street) and 619.621 8th Avenue (corner of 40th Street). The back of the card features a full advertisement offering 10,000 books to the purchaser of a boys' suit. The trade card is part of Volume 22, Page 19 of archival collection Arc.MS.56. The card is dated circa 1885.

Trade card for the Atlantic Clothing House located at 204 North Second Street, above Race Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card depicts a caricature of Black boys chasing chickens. The date is circa 1885.

Trade card advertising the Atlantic Clothing House, located at 204 North Second Street, above Race Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card depicts a caricature of two Black boys attempting to rouse a donkey. The approximate date is circa 1885.

An engraved trade card advertising "Burt" shoes. The card features an illustration of a woman in a shoe being carried by two Black individuals. The reverse side contains a full advertisement incorporating an 1882 calendar. The card was found in a collection of materials related to the Mercantile business, and its geographic location is associated with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Trade card depicting a Black woman holding a white baby at a picket fence. The address 419 & 421 Broadway, New York City, is prominently featured. The background is black. This card is part of a collection of trade cards. Circa 1885.

Trade card depicting a Black man looking out a window, holding an advertisement on cloth. The card features the address 419 & 421 Broadway, New York City, against a blue background. Three of four cards are present. The card is dated circa 1885 and is part of Volume 24, Page 5 of Collection Arc.MS.56. The card relates to mercantile business.

Trade card advertising the slave trading business of Davis, Deupree & Co. in Richmond, Virginia. The card reads: "DAVIS, DEUPREE, & CO., will give their entire attention to the sale of Negros, publicly and privately, Odd Fellows' Hall, corner of Mayo and Franklin Street." This rare card is the only known card from R. H. Davis, a member of a Jewish family of slave dealers based in Richmond. Robert H. Davis and William S. Deupree opened their “Negro Bazaar” auction rooms in Richmond’s Odd Fellows Hall in 1859. The firm was short-lived, bankrupted early in the Civil War. The card is printed on glossy stock and is estimated to date from circa 1850-1855. The Davis family were well-known slave dealers in Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia, with the first generation (Benjamin, Ansley, George, and Solomon Davis) selling slaves beginning in 1838.

Trade card advertising Fleishmann & Co. yeast. The card depicts a black boy riding a donkey. The card includes directions on how to use yeast. It is dated circa 1885 and comes from Volume 25, Page 23 of Archive MS 56. The card is located at 30 East Genesea Street, Factory Depot. The image is described as black and white sepia.

Large die-cut trade card (12" x 8") depicting two well-dressed African Americans on a swing. The card advertises J. J. Bamburg & Co., Clothiers & Merchant Tailors, located in Princeton, Illinois. The card is circa 1885.

Trade card advertising Likes, Berwanger & Co., clothiers, with S. Katzenstein as manager, located at 310 Seventh Avenue in Washington, D.C. The card depicts a child dressed as a policeman with two Black individuals holding an advertisement. The card's imagery includes potential racial stereotypes. The card's date is estimated to be circa 1881 based on an advertisement found in the *Evening Critic* of Washington, D.C. from November 11, 1881.

This record contains two images of trade cards. The first card features a comical illustration of a Black man riding a high-wheel bicycle. The image is in a style typical of late 19th-century American illustration, with bold outlines and a somewhat exaggerated depiction of the figure. The style and subject matter suggest a humorous approach to advertising. The second card (the reverse side of the first) advertises "Old Virginia Cheroots." The text is easily legible and provides information about the product. The back of the first card displays an advertisement for "Old Virginia Cheroots."

Trade card for Rosenbaum & Crawford, located at the southwest corner of Main and San Joaquin Streets, Stockton, California. The card depicts a Black man playing a drum. Circa 1885.

Trade card advertising S. I. Freeman's business. The card features an illustration of a black man wearing a green hat, with text suggesting the man is innocent and not a thief. The card also includes the business address: Nos. 14, 16, & 18 Asylum Sts. The card is dated circa 1885 and is part of the collection of Judaica Americana at the University of Pennsylvania Library.

Trade card depicting a Black man with an advertising sign in a window. The address 15 Main Street is visible. Circa 1885.

Trade card depicting ten Black individuals on a toboggan on the front and an advertisement for "The Bee Hive, the largest in the state" at 715-719 Broad Street on the reverse. The card is dated circa 1885. The advertisement lists prices ranging from 715 to 719 Broad Street. Found in Archive MS 56, Box 20, Folder 7.

Issue of the *Winyaw Intelligencer* newspaper, published in Georgetown, South Carolina on May 1, 1830. This issue contains notices from Soloman Cohen regarding tax payments for free persons of color in 1828 and 1829. Advertisements for escaped slaves are also featured.

Legal broadside (8" x 12-1/2") printed on blue paper and completed in ink manuscript. Issued in Gadsden County, Florida, on March 1, 1858. The writ, partially printed, concerns a replevin action brought by John W. Jones and W.J. Laurence against Haygood and Fleishman regarding the seizure of a slave named Tom. The document details the bond posted by Jones and Laurence and references a debt of $600 owed to Haygood and Fleishman. Shows minor wear; in very good condition. Additional notes mention the plaintiffs' lawsuit against Jones and Lawrence and Jones's attempt to recover possession of his slave while the case was pending. Further background on Samuel M. Fleishman, one of the plaintiffs, is included in the archival description.