A brick with an egg and dart brick pattern from an unknown architectural structure. It is a solid style, terracotta, rectangular brick, hand molded using a press mold. The pattern is on one stretcher side of the brick and is slightly rounded. There are two…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2017.108.21.7
A British brass-barreled blunderbuss, constructed of a dark walnut stock, brass breech, butt plate, trigger guard, barrel, and flared muzzle. It has a stored black ramrod, a floral engraved proper right lock plate, and an elaborate scroll of lock stock…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2018.116.2
A metal broadaxe head for hewing. The axe blade is curved cutting edge that ends in a rounded point at the top and a squared edge on the bottom. At the axe eye are lugs at the top and bottom that are slightly pointed. The eye ring is ovular in shape. An…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2017.108.23.40
A broadaxe for hewing. The axe has a rusty, metal head and a carved wooden handle. The axe blade is curved cutting edge that ends in a rounded point at the top and a squared edge on the bottom. The back of the blade curves towards a thick, center eye. The…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2017.108.23.38
A poem titled "Gabriel: (Hanged for Leading a Slave Revolt)" written by Robert Hayden and published by Broadside Press as Broadside No. 3. The poem is printed on off-white paper in red and black ink. The body of poem is in two columns. The copyright,…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2013.154.2
A quarto size broadside issued by pension brokers M.J. Higgins & Co., Army and Navy Bankers. The broadside advertises pay bounties, pensions, prize money, and other compensation available to men who had enlisted in the Union Army. Printed in black ink…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2014.251.7
A broadside for the auction of twenty enslaved men, women, and children at the City Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. Large text printed in black ink at the top reads [VALUABLE / SLAVES / AT AUCTION, / AT THE CITY HOTEL COMMON ST. / BY C.E. GIRARDEY & CO.,…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2014.63.16
Broadside announcing the sale of an enslaved man named Dick and an enslaved girl named Lydia in Cross Plains, TN. The broadside is on yellowed paper with black text. The broadside reads [NEGROES FOR SALE. By virtue of a decree of the Honorable Circuit…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2018.43.17
Broadside announcing the sale of six or eight enslaved people in Mercer County, Kentucky. The broadside consists of printed black text on one side of a single sheet of yellowed paper. The broadside reads [Public Sale / Will be sold to the highest bidder…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2018.43.18
A broadside calling for violence against abolitionist George Thompson. The broadside is printed in black ink on a rectangular piece of off-white paper. At top, in large letters are the words [THOMPSON, / THE ABOLITIONIST]. This is underlined by a thick…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2014.18.1
A single-sheet broadside with bold serif font typeface advertising an auction for the sale of eighteen slaves. It consists of black printed text on off-white paper. The top of the broadside reads "SLAVES! / Long Credit Sale / of / Plantation Hands / from…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2011.155.305
A broadside advertising a court-ordered slave of enslaved persons at the courthouse in Charleston, South Carolina, on January 10, 1859. The paper is printed in black ink with hand-written annotations along columns printed with the first names and ages of…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2010.21.3
This broadside is an announcement for an estate sale of 229 enslaved men, women and children. The document consists of a single sheet of off-white paper, with a single fold to make four pages, with centered black type and handwritten inscriptions in ink…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2014.63.18
A broadside for the formerly enslaved musician Thomas Wiggins, known as "Blind Tom." The broadside is printed in black and red ink on cream-colored paper. Along the top edge of the broadside is large red text that reads [THE EIGHTH WONDER / of the world.].…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2021.89
A one-sided document printed in black ink reading: "ADMINISTRATOR'S SALE OF NEGROES!! The undersigned will, on the first day of January, 1850, offer for sale, to the highest bidder, at Flint Hill, in the county of St. Charles, a negro woman and child, and…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2011.51.18
A one-side single-sheet broadside from Milledgeville, Georgia, advertising sheriff auctions for enslaved persons, a horse, and plots of land. Printed in black ink, the top of the broadside reads [RECORDER, / EXTRA.] in large decorative font between double…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2011.26.3
A single-sheet broadside printed in black ink on wood pulp paper. The broadside is an announcement for a slave auction that took place on January 29, 1855 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Written at the top of the broadside in bold lettering is [56 VERY CHOICE /…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2009.9.7
This broadside advertises the estate of recently deceased Robert Skeen, owner of the Eagle Hotel and a farmer in Covington, Virginia. The list of property to be sold is: [The "EAGLE HOTEL," and other lots in the Town of Covington; a FARM adjoining the…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2015.222.10
Broadside advertising a reward for the return of an enslaved man named Arch. The broadside consists of printed carbon black ink on laid rag paper. In large letters at the top is printed [THIRTY DOLLARS / REWARD.] followed by smaller text, [RAN away, on the…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2018.113
A single-sided, single page broadside of black text printed on white paper advertising the sale of an enslaved boy named Ben. At the top, in large text: [SALE OF SLAVE. / By order of the Probate]. The document continues, [Court of Andrew County, the…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2011.155.301
A paper broadside advertising a public sale of enslaved people and other property owned by William Bland. The broadside has black text on yellowed paper. Some of the ink in the top right corner has bled and stained the paper. Additional marks and water…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2011.155.292
A letterpress broadside expressing support for the circular letter "Coalition Rule in Danville," commonly referred to as the "Danville Circular." The broadside prints two letters dated October 30, 1883, from Lewis E. Harvie and W. N. Ruffin. At bottom is a…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2019.28.38.1
A poem titled "Song of the Son" written by Jean Toomer and published by Broadside Press as Broadside No. 15. The poem is printed on off-white paper with purple accents in purple ink. The text is bordered by a purple rectangle with a scalloped inside edge.…
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CultureCatalog 2013.154.7
