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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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1821

Ackermann, R.A., fl. 1821

Engraving

Title: A Mandingo

One colored engraving by R.A. Ackermann entitled, "A Mandingo" dated 1821. Features an image of a Mandingo tribesman in traditional clothing.

GLC09791.04

1814

Blood, T., fl. 1814

Engraving

Title: Engraving of William Wilberforce

One portrait engraving of William Wilberforce based on the painting by Russell R.A. dated 1814.

GLC09791.07

5 April 1861

Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Liberator. [Vol. 31 no. 14. (April 5, 1861)]

One issue of "The Liberator" dated April 5 1861. This issue includes articles titled, "A Wife's Account of her Husband's Murder" (A Northern man living in the South killed for supposedly aiding a slave) "Southern Ruffianism Toward Northern Citizens," and "The Cure for Southern Secession."

GLC09791.34

February 22, 1861

Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Liberator. [Vol. 31 no. 8. (February 22, 1861)]

One issue of The Liberator dated February 22 1861. This issue includes articles titled "Slavery Triumphant," "Beecher on times," and "Protest of Colored Citizens."

GLC09791.33

February 15, 1861

Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Liberator. [Vol. 31 no. 7. (February 15, 1861)]

A issue of the liberator from February 15 1861. This issue includes articles titled "An Abolition Meeting Broken Up by a Mob," "No Union with Slave Holder," and "The Anti-Slavery Struggle."

GLC09791.32

28 August 1858

American Anti-Slavery Society

Newspaper

Title: National Anti-Slavery Standard. [Vol. 19, no.15 (August 28, 1858)]

One issue of the "National Anti-Slavery Standard" dated August 28, 1858. This issue features a poem "Peace in God" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The newspaper also features a section of articles that are pro-slavery. There is also an article concerning a Captain Baylis of the Keziah who was arrested and faces forty years in jail for transporting five escaped enslaved people on his ship. The newspaper also contains advertisements and notices of meetings.

GLC09791.30

February 21, 1863

Harper's Weekly

Newspaper

Title: Harper's Weekly [(February 21, 1863)]

One page of the February 21, 1863 issue of Harper's Weekly. This page features the engraving "The Effects of the Proclamation - Freed Negroes Coming Into Our Lines at Newbern, North Carolina." The reverse side of this page features articles: Patriotism and Partisanship, The Soldier's Farewell, Humors of the Day, Domestic Intelligence, and Foreign News.

GLC09791.12

1881

Fry, William Thomas, 1789-1843

Engraving

Title: Engraving of William Wilberforce

One engraving of William Wilberforce dated 1881. Wilberforce is framed by other images including; a white person dressed as a warrior protecting a cowering African person from another white person holding chains with a raised hand. The illustrated frame is also covered in farming implements and a scroll which reads, "Act for Abolition of the Slave Trade."

GLC09791.08

20 February 1818

Theatre-Royal Hull

Broadside

Title: Oroonoko advertisement

This item is a mounted broadside advertisement for the play Oroonoko; or the Royal slave at the Theatre Royal. It lists the actors in each part for the February 20, 1818 show. It also notes that after Oroonoko the Forest of Bondy; or the Dog of Montargis will be shown.

GLC09898.07

4 June 1831

Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Reverend Mr. Jones

A letter from William Wilberforce to Reverend Mr. Jones. Wilberforce asks Jones to leave the publications he brought with his friend Mr. Pringle as he is travelling about a lot and has too much baggage already. He also mentions that Jones had asked about joining the Church Missionary Society and wished to go to Haiti. Wilberforce is very excited about the prospect of Jones going to Haiti and helping that "most interesting community" and promises to recommend Jones to a few friends of his in the society.

GLC09898.12

18 June 1764

Beam & Cuthbert

Autograph document signed

Title: to William Stodhart

A bill of sale for an unnamed enslaved girl, purchased for 45 pounds

GLC09898.01

8 March 1806

Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Young Esquire

Wilberforce sends a quick note to his friend regarding a mutual friend of theirs William Hill. Hill had taken a trip to Bath and in his absence made arrangements for all mail and parcels he received to be kept for him at a shop in the area. Wilberforce wanted to let Young know that he wasn't being ignored. The letter is accompanied by JB00024.

GLC09898.05

23 November 1805

Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Young Esquire

This letter from William Wilberforce to John Young concerns a friend of Young's who wishes to visit someone at his home in Africa. Wilberforce cautions that if this unnamed person wants to travel there he must be careful and get as close as possible to his homeland before leaving security as their age won't keep them from being kidnapped. He cautions that if he is captured he will face the strong possibility of not making his way back to his "indulgent Master in Antigua" Wilberforce writes that there is a strong possibility that his friend in Africa is dead, and that some places have more…

GLC09898.04

14 March 1862

Davis, Mary Brown, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Major General Wool

A letter from Mary Brown Davis to Major General Wool regarding helping "contraband" or escaped enslaved people who have taken refuge in Fort Monroe. Davis outlines her history and where she lived before Chicago. She mentions having been born in Fauquier County and lived at Alexandria Washington, and Mount Vernon. She also mentions editing a newspaper in Wheeling and Winchester. Davis declares that she is strongly Union but loves her native South and prays that the rebellion is crushed and peace restored. Davis volunteers to teach in some capacity among the escaped enslaved people, but…

GLC09898.16

23 November 1820

Rayland, Thomas, fl. 1820

Autograph document signed

Title: to the Sheriff of Chatham

A printed and autograph document from the State of North Carolina to the Sheriff of Chatham ordering that the sheriff set a sale of 4 enslaved men. The sale is to repay a debt owed to Murdock McKenzie & Co. by William Thompson. The amount to be raised is 23 pounds 7 shillings, as well as interest and a further sum of 2 dollars and 2 half cents to pay for the cost of the suit. The money should be kept by the sheriff for Murdock McKenzie & Co. until the next meeting of the court.

GLC09898.09

9 January 1822

Roffignac, J., fl. 1822

Autograph document signed

Title: Mandate of Payment

A mandate of payment for M. Boutin for the work of the enslaved person Sam. Sam worked on the public chain gang for twenty one days at the rate of twenty five cents a day. The payment from the city to M. Boutin is for "Five Piastres Twenty-Five Cents." The document is written in French, but is accompanied by a translation.

GLC09898.11

September 1977

Smithsonian Magazine (Washington, D.C.)

Pamphlet

Title: Smithsonian Magazine [September 1977]

One issue of the Smithsonian Magazine dated September 1977. Contains articles related to the Rockefeller Archive Center; tradition of American luthiers; a profile on Vice President Mondale's home; and an anthropologist analyzing the Spanish, Algonquian and Tewa languages.

GLC09640.252

September 1978

Smithsonian Magazine (Washington, D.C.)

Pamphlet

Title: Smithsonian Magazine [September 1978]

One issue of the Smithsonian Magazine dated September 1978. Contains articles related to World Trade Center; Pope Clement XI's library; ecosystems in ponds; 14 presidents of the Continental Congress before George Washington was elected as the first U.S. President; and essays related to nature.

GLC09640.253

April 1944