1867

Brown, William Wells, 1815-1884

Book

Title: Clotelle; or the colored heroine. A tale of the Southern States.

Published by Lee and Shepard. Includes engraved plates. Previous documentation states this is the second American edition; the first edition was published in London. Clotelle is said to portray the daughter of Thomas Jefferson. Signed by Emily C. Taylor, presumably a prior owner of the volume. The author, Brown, was an enslaved person who sought refuge and abolitionist

GLC06113

circa 1870

Child, Lydia Maria Francis, 1802-1880

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Incomplete essay on religious tolerance on verso of letter fragments from Edmonia Lewis and Samuel J. May]

Contains an incomplete essay (pages five, six, and seven) discussing religious tolerance written by Child, an author, scholar, and abolitionist. Child discusses religious tolerance, stating "People who are educated under one system of religion can never perhaps quite realize how another faith appears to those who have grown up under its influence; but sincere efforts to do this are among the most hopeful signs of the times." Discusses books of different religions and differentiation between religious symbolism and language. In pencil below her signature, Child invites the recipient to…

GLC06114

1934

Cunard, Nancy, 1896-1965

Book

Title: Negro anthology made by Nancy Cunard 1931-1933

Published by Cunard at Wishart & Company in London, England. In the foreword, Cunard states "It was necessary to make this book ... for the recording of the struggles and achievements, the persecutions and the revolts against them, of the Negro people." Cunard's thorough and diverse work contains music, poetry, historical studies, discussions on racism, and reports on black culture in other countries, such as Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and Africa, among many others. Includes essays by such notables as anthropologist and writer Zora Neale Hurston, philosopher Alain Locke, sociologist W.E.B.…

GLC06115

1946

Graham, Lorenzo, 1902-1989

Book signed

Title: How God Fix Jonah

Published by Reynal & Hitchcock. Illustrated with prints from wood engravings by Letterio Calapai, an American painter, muralist, and printmaker. Signed by Graham on the dedication page; dedicated to Graham's sister Shirley Graham Du Bois, an African American author, playwright, composer, and wife of sociologist and civil rights leader W. E. B. Du Bois. Contains a foreword by W. E. B. Du Bois, who states "These modern bits of poetry rescued from passing oblivion remind us of what Africa has thought and done in the long past .. Africa gave the toil that made America and underlay the…

GLC06121

30 September 1962

Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967

Book signed

Title: Fight for freedom: the story of the NAACP

Published by W. W. Norton & Company. Signed on the front flyleaf by Hughes, who inscribed the copy to Raymond Johnson. Signed and inscribed 30 September 1962 on the inner back cover by Evangeline Upshur Truman in Little Rock, Arkansas. Foreword provided by Arthur B. Spingarn, then-President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who highlights the longstanding relationship Hughes has had with the organization and its magazine, The Crisis. Hughes discusses the formation of the NAACP, African American organization efforts before the NAACP, the interwar years,…

GLC06123

November 1863

Child, Lydia Maria Francis, 1802-1880

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Statement of belief].

Condemns those who defend the perpetuation of slavery on the grounds that it was not proscribed by the Constitution and who wish for a return to the Union as it was. Includes poem lamenting the failure of the Founders to address slavery.

GLC06142

17 February 1795, 13 March 1800

Marvin, Seth, fl. 1795

Manuscript document signed

Title: Inventory of the estate of Jesse Woodhull deceased.

Estate inventory taken 17 February 1795 and filed on 13 March 1800. Document signed by Seth Marvin and John W. Tuthill in 1795, and by Samuel Strong and Richard Woodhull in 1800. No place of creation, but Woodhull was living in New Cornwall, Orange County, New York in 1790. Lists the items found on his farm. Includes: 25 oxen, 13 cows, 90 sheep, 10 hogs, and farm utensils worth 100 pounds. Also has 18 slaves. Four of them, worth 90 pounds, are given to Mrs. Woodhull: a woman named Cornelia, an 11-year-old girl named Dina, a 6-year-old girl named Bitsy, and a 2-year-old named Hannah. Four of…

GLC06144

1857

Steward, Austin, 1794-1860

Book

Title: Twenty-two years a slave, and forty years a free man; embracing a correspondence of several years, while president of Wilberforce Colony, London, Canada West.

First edition. Published by William Alling. Includes engraving of Steward. Contains a printed portrait of Steward opposite title page. Signed on inner front cover by Mrs. John Garrett.

GLC06149

1884

Truth, Sojourner, 1797-1883

Book

Title: A narrative of Sojourner Truth; a bondswoman of olden time, emancipated by the New York Legislature in the early part of the present century...

(title continues)... with a history of her labors and correspondence drawn from her 'Book of Life;' also, a memorial chapter, giving the particulars of her last sickness and death." Published by the Review and Herald Office in 1884, Battle Creek, Michigan. Signed in 1885 on inner front cover by noted abolitionist Amy Post and close friend of Frederick Douglass, presenting this book to her son Willet E. Post. Olive Gilbert collaborated with Truth for the "Narrative." 320 pages, plus 32 page memorial chapter. Contains several engravings of Truth.

GLC06153

4 December 1863

Banks, Nathaniel Prentiss, 1816-1894

Autograph quotation signed

Title: [Quotation by General Banks]

"The sweetest solace that a soldier can receive is to know that the women of his country appreciate his sacrifices, and surrender their hours of leisure and luxury to his care and comfort. The voice of Christian kindness and of love stirs the blood of a warrior like the sound of cannon."

GLC05869

May 1777

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes a very detailed letter to her husband in Morristown, New Jersey during the American Revolution. Discusses the arrival in Boston of General Charles Tronson du Coudray, a French military engineer "who stiles himself Commander in Chief of the Continental Artillery" (Knox's current position) and claimed the appointment was from Silas Deane. Discusses the illness of Henry's brother William ("Billy") and her "fear we shall lose him, or at least that the humour in the blood has taken such deep root, as to embitter his future days." Also comments on various items she sent to Knox.…

GLC05895

24 February 1882

Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Miss Lena

Thanks Lena, a young girl, for a potholder (GLC07731.02). Apparently Lena had read Douglass's narrative, and he thanks her for reading and thinking kindly of his life and history. Writes "Please accept my best thanks for 'Any holder but a slaveholder.'" Accompanied by a blank sheet of paper of the same size, possibly formerly attached to the note.

GLC07731.01

1892

Kurz & Allison

Print

Title: The Fort Pillow Massacre.

Depicts the April 1864 battle at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, in which witnesses reported that Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest violated the conduct of war by killing unarmed and surrendered soldiers. Underneath the print, text indicates that Union forces were led by Majors William F. Bradford and Lionel F. Booth (who was killed during the battle). Portrays Confederate soldiers killing African American soldiers, women, and children. In the center of the print, Forrest hoists the Confederate flag. For an extensive eyewitness account of the battle, please refer to GLC05080.01.

GLC07727

circa 1882

Object

Title: ["Any holder but a Slave holder" potholder]

Based on the accompanying letter (GLC 7731.01), created by Miss Lena, who gave the potholder to Frederick Douglass as a gift after reading his narrative. Depicts two African Americans (one male and one female) holding hands and dancing against a caramel colored background. Text is stitched above and below the dancing figures. Appears to be a form of needlepoint stitching.

GLC07731.02

5 April 1825-1828

Harrison, Mary S., 1809-1842

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Keepsake book of Mary Harrison]

Signed on first page. Book of poetry, some written out by Harrison, some addressed to or for Miss Mary S. Harrison, written by friends. There are dried leaves pressed between some pages. Mary Harrison was the daughter of President William Henry Harrison and Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison.

GLC07732.02

3 March 1895

Wallace, Lewis, 1827-1905

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. E. Allen

Apologizes for the delay of the photograph. States that assassination trial was "perfect in every respect." Provides the name of the officers that tried the Lincoln conspirators. The list of names accompanies a photograph that has been pasted on a piece of board along with the letter (GLC07740.02). The letter is also accompanied by three newspaper clippings entitled: "Was Mary Surrat guilty?", "He might have hanged", and "Gen. Holt dead." A short biography on Lewis Wallace is pasted adjacent to the photograph. The extent given is that of the board on which various pieces are pasted on.

GLC07740.01

1814/11/12

Morris, Phebe, fl. 1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anthony Morris re: War of 1812

Terms offered by nation Britain have "contributed more than any circumstance whatever to unite all parties in the resolution of repelling unitedly, the enemy;" burning of the White House: "It would have shocked you my dear papa to have heard how many persons rejoiced in the barbarous and wanton destruction committed at Washington...it is actually true that Admiral Cockburn placed himself in the chair of the House of Representatives and deliberately took the votes of 'to burn or not to burn.'"

GLC07721

1821/03/02-1821/03/04

Burr, Aaron, 1756-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Bradstreet re: current legal situation of Bradstreet

Opinions on war in Europe against Naples and Spain told via allegory of turkeys and ducks.

GLC07712

1835/02/06

Travis, William B., fl. 1835

Autograph letter signed

Title: to David G. Burnet re: politics in Texas

"Austin has been admitted to Bail. Letters from him & Almonte say he will leave Mexico, intirely liberated, in a short time. The new election for governor, Lt. governor, and members of Congress, will take place here next Monday." Also mentions selling a slave: "I have sold my woman Matilda (the best one) for $700 in Brazoria."

GLC07639

1757/11/15

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Sally Fairfax] re: requesting herbal remedies and recipes

GLC07663

17 January 1789

Henley, Samuel, fl. 1788-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written in Charlestown, possibly in Massachusetts. Writes to inform Knox that he purchased of Zachariah & Bethiah Fowle a house, barn and land in 1756. He bought them from Thomas Flucker, Knox's father-in-law, to whom the property had been mortgaged. Some time later, he happened to encounter Mr. Flucker and was told that everything regarding the mortgage was arranged to Henley's satisfaction. At the time of the purchase, he and Mr. Flucker were very close friends, and, being unused to buying property, Henley did not read the contract as closely as he should have. Twenty-five years…

GLC02437.04093

15 July 1790

Hichborn, Benjamin, 1746-1817

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes on behalf of General [John] Glover who wishes to fill the office of collection officer at Marblehead, Massachusetts. Mentions that a Mrs. Danforth "took herself from earthly trouble yesterday by strangling herself." For Glover's appeal to Knox, refer to GLC02437.04653.

GLC02437.04652

3 August 1791

Hills, John, fl. 1771-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Signed twice by Hills. Captain Hills references the letter he sent to Knox on 9 July. Provides an update on the proposed canal between the Connecticut River and Boston. Gives detailed list of the places he has scouted. Postscript says he has been away from his wife so long that he hopes Knox can send her $50.

GLC02437.05097

9 October 1794

Hills, Mary, fl. 1793-1794

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Asks for a favor from Knox to advance her $100.

GLC02437.06222

29 July 1795

Hodgdon, Samuel, 1745-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Forwards a letter that is of great importance to an unnamed lady.

GLC02437.06477