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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.

Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) to Nancy E. Jones

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02739.064 Author/Creator: Jones, Joseph (fl. 1862-1865) Place Written: Tullahoma, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 7 August 1863 Pagination: 10 p ; envelope Order a Copy

He has been to black prayer meetings and believes "if they had the schooling and chance that we have they could take care of their selves and be a smart people….You may believe evry word of uncle tom's cabin." He befriended a black boy who described how "his master would make him and al his hands work hard al day from daylight until dark and then he would have them tied up and have them whipped until they became al al bludy and raw from head to foot and then rub salt all over them and let them go." He hopes that "slavery will be wiped out now forever."

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1863

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