Brister English Project
Brister English Press
After emancipation, Black families separated by slavery placed ads in newspapers across the country searching for their people. We continue that tradition. Post your notice, share a news clipping, record your liberation ad, subscribe to the newsletter, and help us find each other.
Inspired by the Lost Friends column in the Southwestern Christian Advocate (1879–1900) and the "Information Wanted" ads of the Christian Recorder.
A living archive of search and reunion
Featured Clippings
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Preserve
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Our News Clippings
What we found in the papers, brought home to the archive.
Vallejo Times-Herald
Man Slain By Stabbing In Bar Fight
2/18/1974
A 24-year-old Vallejo man, Keith Eugene Whitemon, was fatally stabbed during a brawl involving multiple suspects at the Goosecreek tavern.
The Park City Daily News
J.C.'s Barber Shop and Salon Proudly Announces Their 1st Anniversary!
6/23/1996
This advertisement marks the first anniversary of J.C.'s Barber Shop and Salon located in Sugar Maple Square, featuring the shop's staff and announcing upcoming expansion plans.
National Republican
List of Claimants and of Claims Preferred Before the Commission
7/30/1862
A public notice listing claimants and their respective claims submitted to the Commission for the emancipation of enslaved people in the District of Columbia.
Needs transcription
Goldsboro News-Argus
Two police officers tied to KKK
7/15/2014
Two police officers in Fruitland Park, Florida, were forced out of their positions after a law enforcement investigation linked them to the Ku Klux Klan.
Needs transcription
The Record
Two More Police Tied To K.K.K.
1/3/1968
The article reports that two Chicago police officers, Ernest Semet and William Harvey Plogger, were identified as members of the Ku Klux Klan by Chicago Police Superintendent James B. Conlisk, bringing the total number of identified officers to six.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
Execution of Emmett Till's Father
10/27/1955
This article discusses the U.S. Army releasing information regarding the 1945 execution of Pvt. Louis Till, the father of Emmett Till, to Senator James O. Eastland.
Daily National Intelligencer
List of Claimants and of Claims Preferred Before the Emancipation Commission
6/16/1862
This article lists the names of claimants and the amounts of their claims filed before the Emancipation Commission in Washington, D.C., following the passage of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
Girl Says Police Beat Her
12/30/1954
A news article reporting on a young woman, Cecilia Ann West, who accused a police officer of physical assault while in custody
The Louisville Defender
They'll Have To Answer It Soon
11/18/1954
A political cartoon depicting Kentucky discrimination and discriminatory phone hiring policies being pressured to hire Black telephone operators.
The Louisville Defender
Refused Sandwich At Air Field, Woman Plans Suit
11/4/1954
A St. Louis attorney, Frankie M. Freeman, announced plans to file a federal lawsuit after being refused service at a Standiford Field snack bar and subsequently threatened with arrest by police.
The Louisville Defender
Nurse Quits Hazelwood After Segregation Order
10/28/1954
A practical nurse resigns from Hazelwood Sanitorium in protest after the business manager orders the segregation of nursing staff dining areas. The same issue also notes that managing editor Frank H. Gray is in serious condition following a stroke.
The Louisville Defender
Death Takes Youth Shot By Patrolman
6/10/1954
An eighteen-year-old youth, John Anthony Doyle, has died after being shot in the back by a police officer while the officer was attempting to make an arrest.
The Louisville Defender
What Price Freedom? Ex-Slave Found in Shack
3/25/1954
An investigative report by The Louisville Defender about a 94-year-old formerly enslaved man named Sam Matthews living in impoverished conditions in a woodshed, highlighting his need for better housing and medical care.
The Louisville Defender
Lou. Hotel Assn. Says No To Negro Guests, Not Ready
3/11/1954
The Louisville branch of the NAACP was denied reservations for visiting guests at local hotels, with the Louisville Hotel Association stating the city was not yet ready to admit Negro guests to integrated conventions.
The Louisville Defender
House For Sale Alarms Neighbors
2/11/1954
A news article detailing neighborhood tensions in Louisville after Mrs. Grace Hogan attempted to sell her home located in an all-white neighborhood to prospective Black buyers.
Palladium-Item
NEGRESS LYNCHED BY A NEGRO MOB
4/17/1913
This report details the lynching of Mattie Musee in Strander, Mississippi, by a mob of African Americans after she allegedly murdered her husband with a razor.
Needs transcription
The Tampa Tribune
MLK III Coming To Probe Hanging: 'Black Folk Don't Hang Themselves,' King Says
8/5/2003
Martin Luther King III announces that the SCLC will investigate the death of Feraris "Ray" Golden, a black man found hanging in Belle Glade, Florida, after local authorities ruled it a suicide.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
New Sub-Division For Negroes Planned Here; Building Begins In Newberg
10/29/1953
An article detailing the construction of a new 330-home housing development for Black residents in Newberg, Louisville, managed by the Indian Trail Corporation.
The Louisville Defender
Brown Hotel Refuses To Feed Newspaper Delegate
10/29/1953
An editorial and news report detailing how the Brown Hotel refused to serve food to Howard H. Murphy, a Black newspaperman from Baltimore attending a convention, highlighting local racial discrimination.
The Louisville Defender
Police Arrest Couple On Bus; Woman Too Light
7/2/1953
An article detailing the arrest of a couple on a city bus, where the husband was beaten by police because they suspected his wife, who had light skin, was white.
The Evening Star
The Shame of America: 3436 People Lynched, 1889 to 1921
11/23/1922
A full-page advertisement by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) detailing statistics on lynching in the United States and advocating for the passage of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
'Suicide' Puzzles Police
6/25/1953
An article reporting on the police investigation into the suspicious death of Noah Bellamy, whose family doubts the official conclusion of suicide.
The Louisville Defender
Bus Patrons Here Told To Ignore Segregated Station
1/28/1953
Article reporting on the Kentucky Bureau of Negro Affairs advising Greyhound bus patrons to ignore segregation policies at the Louisville station and legal efforts to challenge Jim Crow travel laws.
The Louisville Defender
Woman Claims Greyhound Bus Driver Humiliated Her
8/18/1951
A registered nurse named Ruth J. Price filed a $5,000 lawsuit against Southeastern Greyhound Lines, Inc. after a bus driver attempted to force her to the back of the bus while traveling from Louisville to Fort Knox, Kentucky.
The Louisville Defender
Paducah College Again Refuses To Accept Students
6/16/1951
The NAACP, represented by attorney Joseph S. Freeland, seeks a federal court injunction against Paducah Junior College after the school refused to admit two Black students, Marion Wilson and Broady Ray, citing state segregation laws.
The Louisville Defender
No Beds For Negro Kids In City Children's Hospital
5/26/1951
An article detailing a complaint filed by the NAACP regarding the denial of emergency care to a 7-year-old Black child at a city-owned hospital due to racial segregation policies.
The Louisville Defender
'White Only' Ad-Shocking
4/7/1951
An article detailing a discriminatory advertisement for municipal jobs that required 'White' applicants and excluded Black candidates, drawing sharp criticism from the local NAACP.
The Louisville Defender
Easter Dance Armory Thursday March 29: Battle of the Blues
3/17/1951
A promotional advertisement for a 'Battle of the Blues' dance event featuring performances by Wynonie Harris, Sticks McGhee, Annie Laurie, and Eddie Durham and his Orchestra.
The Louisville Defender
Trenton Six (Continued)
3/17/1951
This article reports on the ongoing legal proceedings of the Trenton Six case, specifically addressing the defense counsel's rejection of the Civil Rights Congress (CRC) tactics and the process of jury selection.
The Louisville Defender
Trenton Six Battling For Their Lives
3/17/1951
This article reports on the retrial of the 'Trenton Six,' a group of men accused of the 1948 murder of an elderly shopkeeper in New Jersey, noting that some are represented by NAACP attorneys and supported by the Civil Rights Congress.
The Louisville Defender
1st Colored Med Student To Be Accepted By U. Of L. Is Honor Man At Fisk U.
3/10/1951
This article reports on the admission of Joseph L. Alexander as the first Black student at the University of Louisville Medical School. It highlights his academic background at Fisk University, his scholarship achievements, and comments from his mother, Mrs. Nannie Hughes.
The Crisis
HELP CRUSH OUT LYNCHING
12/1/1918
An appeal from the NAACP's Anti-Lynching Committee for public contributions to fund the fight against lynching, framing it as a critical issue of national patriotism.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
Probe Reveals Race Bias In Court Martial Against Negro Troops In Korea
3/3/1951
An article detailing Thurgood Marshall's investigation into serious racial discrimination against Black soldiers in the 24th Infantry Regiment during court-martials in the Korean War.
The Crisis
Help Crush Out Lynching
1/1/1919
An appeal from the N.A.A.C.P. Anti-Lynching Committee to the public to contribute to a fund to fight lynching and hold authorities accountable for mob violence.
Needs transcription
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Ku Klux Klan holds rally opposing immigration
5/8/2006
A Ku Klux Klan group held an anti-immigration rally in Russellville, Alabama, which drew protesters but resulted in no violence or arrests.
Needs transcription
The Maryland Herald, and Hager's-Town Weekly Advertiser
Thirty Dollars Reward: Runaway Advertisement for Sally
1/10/1810
An advertisement posted by Henry Arnold offering a reward for the capture and return of an enslaved woman named Sally who ran away from Hagerstown.
Needs transcription
Virginia Gazette
A Lynching in Oregon
9/1/1902
An article reporting the lynching of Alonzo Tucker in Marshfield, Oregon, after he was accused of assaulting a woman named Mrs. Dennie.
Needs transcription
The Gloucestershire Echo
Real Coon Songs
3/12/1925
An article discussing the origins and characteristics of 'coon songs,' featuring racially offensive caricatures and lyrics reflecting the racist attitudes of the era.
Needs transcription
The Evening Star
Weapons Indictment Holds 2 Men Caught In Minstrel Paint
1/26/1955
Two men from Hyattsville, Maryland, were indicted by a U.S. District Court for possessing illegal weapons and tools while wearing black minstrel paint. The article also notes other unrelated indictments, including cases of impersonating federal agents.
Needs transcription
Press-Telegram
Drama Section of Hill League to Entertain
3/24/1925
An announcement for a two-day drama program hosted by the Signal Hill Civic League, featuring one-act plays and musical performances. Ida May Melton performs in Blackface.
Needs transcription
Hattiesburg American
Some Minstrel Characters
4/27/1943
A newspaper photograph depicting participants in a minstrel show 'mock wedding' wearing blackface makeup.
Needs transcription
Missouri Valley Times
Will Don Lamp Black and Minstrel Wigs
1/2/1902
A local news announcement regarding a minstrel show performance being organized as a fundraiser for the local physical culture association gymnasium.
Needs transcription
The News-Virginian
Local Business, Professional Men Put Aside Dignity For Black-Face Roles In Minstrel
3/30/1943
Ten Waynesboro business and professional men prepare for a Kiwanis benefit minstrel show featuring black-face comedy.
Needs transcription
Greenfield Daily Recorder
Announcements: St. Mary's Minstrel Show Costumes
2/18/1928
A notice regarding the Hooker-Howe Costume Company providing outfits for the St. Mary's minstrel show, coordinated by local agent Louis A. LaShier.
Needs transcription
The Madison Courier
Stage Black Minstrel
5/2/1944
An article detailing how the 'Coffee Cup' class at White Rock Methodist Church in Dallas raised nearly $1,000 for their building fund by performing an amateur blackface minstrel show.
Needs transcription
The State Journal-Register
K. of C. Minstrel
4/5/1929
An advertisement for a 55-person amateur blackface comedy minstrel show held at the Knights of Columbus Auditorium.
Needs transcription
Palladium-Item
Stage Set for Second Civic Minstrel Presentation
7/19/1934
A full-page spread from the Palladium-Item newspaper documenting the participants and preparations for the Second Civic Minstrel Show held at the Amphitheater in Richmond.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Amateur Black-Face Artists Make Ready
1/15/1906
An article reporting on the upcoming annual high school minstrel show to be held at the Grand opera house, featuring a photograph of students in blackface makeup.
Needs transcription
Democrat and Chronicle
First Amateur Blackface Show in U. S. Given in Canandaigua
3/13/1929
This article discusses the 1929 'Merrill's Mammoth Minstrels' annual blackface show staged by the Merrill Hose Company in Canandaigua, New York. It highlights the show's history as the first of its kind in the United States and lists the event's committee members.
Needs transcription
The Herald Statesman
The Doctors' Coachmen's Club Second Annual Ball
4/23/1904
A notice announcing that The Doctors' Coachmen's Club will hold their second annual ball, cake walk, and minstrel show at Teutonia Hall on May 6th, featuring Bailey & Fletcher's Quadroon Minstrel Company.
Needs transcription
Malden Press-Merit
Opera House: Octoroon Minstrel and Musical Comedy Co.
3/1/1912
An advertisement for a musical minstrel performance appearing at the local Opera House featuring ten performers, including six women and four comedians.
Needs transcription
The Morning Chronicle
Parade Feature of H. S. Circus
5/12/1923
The Manhattan High School held its annual circus, featuring an elaborate parade through the business district and Aggieville, followed by performances of 'The House That Jack Built', 'Kellar Follies', and 'Mulatto Minstrels'.
Needs transcription
The Mercury
Everything New in "Mammy" Minstrel Show
9/22/1930
An article discussing the release of the Al Jolson film 'Mammy' and reflecting on the history of minstrel shows and their influence on Vaudeville.
Needs transcription
Milwaukee Daily News
Miss Mayhew Tells Why We Like "Coon" Songs
10/9/1918
Vaudeville performer Stella Mayhew discusses her professional success in singing racially stereotyped "coon" songs, attributing their popularity to the compositions of her husband, Billee Taylor, and their perceived humor.
Needs transcription
Rockford Daily Republic
Rusco & Holland's Big Minstrel Festival
5/22/1901
An advertisement for Rusco & Holland's "Big Minstrel Festival" appearing at the Opera House, featuring Billy Kersands and a "Pickaninny Drum Corps."
Needs transcription
The Springfield News-Leader
Kiwanis Minstrel Opener Draws Audience of 3000
2/27/1960
An article reporting on the annual Kiwanis Minstrel show held at the Shrine Mosque, noting the large attendance and listing various performers and local dignitaries involved in the production.
The Press-Forum Weekly
Death Of White Robber Reveals Black-Face Make-Up
11/9/1929
An article reporting on the death of Lonnie L. Horne, a white youth who was killed after attempting to rob the occupants of a car while wearing black-face makeup.
Needs transcription
The Charleston Mercury
Coon Songs
11/4/1844
A political commentary piece from The Boston Post criticizing a 'coon song' written for the Atlas newspaper, accompanied by a satirical campaign song supporting Henry Clay.
Needs transcription
The Houston Chronicle
Young Blackface Comedians Will Appear At Frolic
5/14/1929
An article reporting on the upcoming performance of two children, Harry Carl Kight and Carl Miller, as blackface comedians at a benefit event for the Houston police burial fund.
Needs transcription
The News
Eddie Ross and 'African Harp' Fight Way From Medicine Show to Vaudeville Stardom
4/11/1923
An interview with blackface comedian Eddie Ross, detailing his transition from working in a medicine show to finding "success" in vaudeville.
Needs transcription
New Journal and Guide
"Black-Face" Crime
4/23/1932
An editorial letter by Jesse O. Thomas discussing incidents where white criminals used blackface makeup to commit crimes, highlighting the dangers such actions pose to the innocent Black community.
Needs transcription
The Washington Herald
Blackface Bandit Slain in Baltimore
6/21/1937
Martin J. Walsh, a member of the notorious 'Blackface Gang', was shot and killed by police in Baltimore after a robbery, leading to the capture of his associate Walter Forbush and a female companion, Lelia Virginia Smith.
Needs transcription
Times Herald
Blackface Prowler Alarms Arlington County Residents
6/16/1937
An article reporting on a mysterious prowler in Arlington, Virginia, who wore minstrel paint to disguise his identity as a white man while harassing local residents.
Needs transcription
Martinsville Morning Post
G-Men Probing Peonage Charge
8/26/1942
Federal authorities take a sharecropper and his wife into protective custody after they allege they were held in peonage on a farm near Sumner, Mississippi.
Needs transcription
Martinsville Morning Post
Indictment Is Hailed By Labor
9/25/1936
This article reports on the federal indictment of a deputy sheriff in Earle, Arkansas, for illegally arresting eight Black individuals to work in conditions of peonage and slavery, which labor organizers cited as a major victory against forced plantation labor.
Needs transcription
The Daily Review
Nine Bodies in Peonage Case
3/28/1921
An article detailing the investigation of John Williams, a Jasper County farmer, who murdered eleven of his enslaved employees to prevent them from testifying against him for peonage.
Needs transcription
Unknown
Charges of Slavery Being Investigated: Two Men Indicted For Alleged Peonage of Negroes in Louisiana
2/3/1923
Two men, Webb Bellue and John D. Alford, were indicted by the Department of Justice for the abduction and forced labor (peonage) of a Black family from Amite County, Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The News and Advance
Four Williams Men Indicted
5/4/1921
A news report detailing federal indictments against John S. Williams and his sons for peonage and conspiracy in Jasper County, Georgia.
Needs transcription
The News and Advance
Judge Sustains Catts Demurrer
5/11/1922
A federal judge ruled on a demurrer for former Florida governor Sidney J. Catts regarding peonage charges, allowing one count to proceed while delaying the trial.
Needs transcription
The Daily News-Journal
Pair Indicted For Violation Of Slavery Law
5/29/1940
A federal grand jury indicted a Georgia plantation owner and his attorney for conspiring to hold African American laborers in peonage and slavery after using fraudulent warrants to return them to his plantation.
Needs transcription
The Daily News Journal
Louisiana Planter Held for Peonage
12/13/1930
A wealthy Bogalusa planter named James Pigott was indicted on charges of peonage after three individuals testified they were forced to work on his farm without pay and were subjected to physical abuse.
Needs transcription
Southwest American
Charges of Peonage Among Negroes Made
1/14/1912
United States district attorney Dwayne D. Maddox announces an investigation into reports that hundreds of Black laborers in Mississippi and Arkansas were lured to plantations and forced into peonage through debt manipulation.
Needs transcription
The Paducah Sun
To Probe Charges of Peonage of Negroes
1/14/1921
United States District Attorney Swayne D. Maddox announces an investigation into approximately two hundred complaints regarding the peonage of Black individuals on plantations in Mississippi and Arkansas.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
Georgia Farmer Uses Out-Of-Date Law To Hold His Employes In 'Slavery'
9/7/1946
This article reports on the arrest of Roswell P. Biggers, a Georgia farmer who used archaic laws and debt entrapment to hold African American workers in a state of peonage resembling slavery.
Needs transcription
The Times-Picayune
Valuable Slaves at Auction
2/27/1857
A newspaper advertisement by J.A. Beard & May listing 21 enslaved people to be sold at public auction at the St. Louis Hotel Rotunda.
Needs transcription
Knoxville Daily Chronicle
Triple Hanging
4/30/1882
Three Black men, Pleasant Adams, Joe Burton, and Richard Bates, were executed by hanging in Greenville, South Carolina, for the crime of arson against the Academy of Music.
Needs transcription
The Lewiston Daily Sun
Seek Parts of Negro's Body for Souvenirs
6/22/1920
This report describes the lynching of Philip Gaithers (referred to as Philip Raithers in some records) near Rincon, Georgia, after he allegedly confessed to murdering a young woman. A mob subsequently mutilated his body and collected parts as souvenirs.
Needs transcription
Post-Bulletin
Racial hatred and crime
8/23/1997
An editorial discussing a racially motivated lynching in Virginia and the police brutality case of Abner Louima in New York, reflecting on the persistence of racial violence in America.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
Welder Found Guilty In Mass Murder Of Negroes' Plot
7/7/1966
A welder in Los Angeles was convicted of plotting to murder the Black population of the United States by distributing poisoned food samples. The article details his failed attempts to involve the Ku Klux Klan and his claim that the plot was actually conceived by Roderick Duff.
The Chicago Defender
Dixie Children Who Slew White To Die July 23
7/26/1947
An article reporting that two teenage boys, Charles Trudell and James Lewis, are scheduled to be executed for the murder of a white farmer in Woodville, Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The Daily Worker
Beat Hitler Now or Be Enslaved, Warns Negro Columnist
10/20/1941
This article, reprinting a column by Arthur Huff Fauset from the Philadelphia Tribune, urges the United States and England to increase support for Russia against Nazi Germany to prevent global fascism and the spread of slavery.
Needs transcription
The Louisville Defender
'He Died With His Head In My Lap,' -- Lynch Witness
9/7/1946
This article reports on the NAACP's search for and protection of Albert Harris, a witness to the brutal lynching of veteran John C. Jones in Louisiana.
The Louisville Defender
Lynch— (Continued from Page 1)
9/7/1946
This article details the harrowing account of a young man, Albert Harris, who survived a brutal beating and witnessed the lynching of war veteran John C. Jones in the Louisiana woods. The report highlights the NAACP's investigation into the incident and the failure of federal authorities to arrest any members of the lynch mob.
The Louisville Defender
Turned Away
8/4/1966
Five women filed discrimination charges with the Kentucky Human Rights Commission after being denied entry to the Golden Horseshoe club in Lebanon, Kentucky.
Southern Confederacy
65 Likely Negroes For Sale
8/22/1862
A classified advertisement listing 65 enslaved individuals by name, age, and occupation, offered for private sale by Solomon Cohen, with an auction scheduled if they are not sold within ten days.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Daily Times
Glasgow Training School & Ralph Bunch High School Reunion
10/17/1993
A group photograph and article detailing a reunion of former students and teachers from the Glasgow Training School and Ralph Bunche High School, held at the Cave City Convention Center in September 1993.
The Progress
Ralph Bunche School, end of an era
12/10/1992
A historical photograph and caption documenting the second graduating class of 1937 from the Glasgow Training School, which later became the Ralph J. Bunche School.
The Palladium
Two Hundred Dollars Reward / Venus absconded
10/23/1801
A notice offering a reward for stolen horses and a runaway enslaved woman named Venus, placed by Colby Shipp in Scott County.
The Palladium
Return of the Census from the State of New York
10/16/1801
A brief report providing updated census statistics for the State of New York, noting the addition of 101,985 inhabitants, which includes 5,011 enslaved people.
The Western American
Notice
3/11/1811
A legal notice issued by court-appointed commissioners announcing the public auction of six enslaved people named Flora, Celia, Hannibal, Harry, Alphonso, and Lewis to take place at the Louisville courthouse.
New Journal and Guide
Four Ex-Slaves In News
4/3/1937
A feature article highlighting the lives of four formerly enslaved individuals, noting the recent achievements of two, the death of a 107-year-old woman in Kentucky, and the passing of a 92-year-old woman in Missouri.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Chronicle
Two Negro Girls Lynched
5/13/1897
A news report detailing the lynching of two young African American women, Mollie Smith and Mandy Franklin, who were accused by a mob of poisoning the family of Joshua O. Kelly in Madison County, Alabama.
Needs transcription
The Grand Island Independent
Two Negroes Lynched
6/28/1911
This article reports on the lynching of two Black men, Tom Allen and Joe Watts, in Walton County, Georgia, by a mob.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Epitaph, To the memory of a faithful Slave
10/5/1801
A poetic epitaph published in the Kentucky Gazette honoring the memory of an enslaved person.
The Palladium
Notice
6/6/1799
A legal notice issued by the sheriff regarding an enslaved man named Joe who is being held in the Woodford County jail. The owner is requested to claim him or the man will be sold.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
10/3/1799
An advertisement by Anthony Sharp offering a reward for the apprehension of two enslaved men, Jack and Moses, who ran away from Sumner County, Tennessee.
The Mirror
FOR SALE, A LIKELY NEGROE WOMAN
10/16/1799
An advertisement in The Mirror offering an enslaved woman and her three-year-old child for sale. Interested parties are directed to contact the editors of the newspaper.
The Mirror
Twenty Dollars Reward
10/16/1799
A runaway slave advertisement placed by Rowland Hughs for an enslaved woman named Allice who escaped in September 1798 near Greer's Creek.
The Mirror
Advertisement: Runaway Negro Man
10/16/1799
An advertisement by a jailer regarding an enslaved man named Thomas Smith who was committed to the Westmoreland jail after leaving his owner, Valentine Peers. The notice requests that his master come to prove ownership and pay charges to reclaim him.
The Palladium
A Black Man, Who calls himself Daniel Fortner
10/24/1799
A notice regarding the apprehension of a man calling himself Daniel Fortner, who was jailed under the vagrant act and suspected of being an escaped enslaved person.
Kentucky Gazette
Slaves ages 12 - 50: 15,858
10/31/1799
A statistical report documenting the taxation of enslaved people and property in Kentucky, signed by Cuthbert Banks.
Kentucky Gazette
Estate sale of slaves belonging to the estate of John Gess
6/5/1800
A legal notice regarding an estate sale of enslaved men, women, and children belonging to the late John Gess, ordered by the Fayette County quarter session court.
Kentucky Gazette
Slaves to Sell
6/12/1800
A notice announcing an upcoming auction of enslaved people to be held at Samuel Hornback's mill in Bourbon County, with terms of sale involving cash and horses.
Stewart's Kentucky Herald
Runaway from the subscriber
7/8/1800
A notice placed by Richard Hickman regarding an enslaved man named Bob who has run away, noting his ability to play the fiddle and his potential attempt to travel to Baltimore.
The Palladium
Run-away, Kenter
7/10/1800
An advertisement for a runaway enslaved man named Kenter, placed by Robert Smith in Scott County, Kentucky.
Atlanta Daily World
Rosa Parks is Montgomery's No. One woman fighter for human rights and progressive democracy
1/27/1948
A short profile of Rosa L. Parks, secretary of the Montgomery branch of the NAACP, highlighting her work in voter registration and opposition to the Boswell amendment.
Needs transcription
Buffalo Courier Express
NEGRO BOY LYNCHED.
2/22/1893
A short news report from Birmingham, Alabama, detailing the lynching of a 15-year-old boy named Dick Mayes by a mob after he was accused of assaulting a woman.
Needs transcription
The Fremont Weekly Journal
Slavery, and White Working Men.
11/28/1862
An editorial article debating the economic and political motivations behind the expansion of slavery, arguing that slave-holders are suppressing white labor interests in both the North and South.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Slaves hiring themselves
7/31/1800
A resolution from the Trustees of Lexington directing the town watch to apprehend enslaved individuals who are found hiring themselves out or keeping disorderly houses.
The Examiner
Review of a Lecture on the North and the South
6/23/1849
An article providing a review and critique of a lecture on the economic and social differences between the Northern and Southern United States, focusing heavily on the impacts of slavery, paupers, and labor conditions. It includes discussions on the conditions of enslaved people, the economy of the South, and experiments in manumission.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
MORE SLAVES!
8/25/1800
A brief newspaper notice reporting the arrival at the fort of the schooner Prudent, a prize vessel captured by the United States ship Ganges, which was transporting 16 enslaved people.
Kentucky Gazette
Prices Current at Natchez and New-Orleans
9/1/1800
A market report reprint from Green's Impartial Observer listing commodity prices in Natchez and New Orleans, noting a market demand for 300 to 500 enslaved people.
Kentucky Gazette
NOTICE. Taken From a Negroman
10/27/1800
A notice placed by James Parish regarding a bay horse found in the possession of an apprehended runaway man, noting that the horse was found near Chillicothe on Killikanik.
Kentucky Gazette
Market ad by Green Clay
12/1/1800
An advertisement by Green Clay of Madison County offering various agricultural products and enslaved people for sale, as well as seeking to hire an overseer.
Kentucky Gazette
SIX SLAVES FOR SALE.
1/19/1801
An advertisement for an auction of a woman and her four children, as well as a lad, to take place in Paris, Kentucky, placed by Judith C. Gist.
Kentucky Gazette
Prices Current: Natchez and New-Orleans
2/16/1801
A market report listing the prices of various commodities, including the cost of enslaved people, in Natchez and New Orleans, followed by a report on mail service delays and a U.S. Senate vote on a convention with France.
Kentucky Gazette
Will be Hired
3/2/1801
A legal notice for the hiring out of sixteen enslaved people from the estate of Colonel Nathaniel Gist, including men, women, and boys, to be administered by Judith C. Gist and John Breckenridge.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Latest Music(Coon Songs)
3/12/1899
An advertisement for new music sheets published by Chas. K. Harris, featuring various titles that reflect popular entertainment tropes of the era.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Notice Regarding Ownership of Enslaved Man Named Hugh
6/29/1801
A public notice placed by James Bristow to explain his taking possession of an enslaved man named Hugh after a contract dispute with George Shortridge.
The Palladium
Twenty Dollar Reward, Tom
3/24/1801
A runaway slave advertisement placed by William Pope, jun. seeking the return of an enslaved man named Tom who had absconded from Louisville with a mare.
The Palladium
To be Sold
3/24/1801
A legal notice advertising the sale of enslaved persons by Harry Innes, as trustee for Samuel P. Duval, to satisfy debts.
Detroit Free Press
Roots of Collecting: Black antiques reveal a painful past
3/23/1991
An exploration of the collecting of historical Black Americana and racially derogatory ephemera, examining the tension between preserving artifacts of a racist past and the painful imagery they contain.
Needs transcription
The Palladium
Frankfort, July 28, Kentucky Census
7/28/1801
This article publishes the population statistics for Kentucky based on the 1800 Census, including the number of free white males, free white females, all other free persons, and enslaved individuals. It also notes how these numbers affect Kentucky's congressional representation and mentions census-related population updates for the Northwest Territory, Tennessee, and Connecticut.
Kentucky Gazette
To the Committee which is to meet at Bryan's Station
3/7/1799
An opinion piece written by an anonymous slave holder arguing that only property owners and slave owners should have the right to vote, while defending the institution of slavery.
Kentucky Gazette
Estate sale of Edmund Taylor, sundry Slaves
8/20/1796
A public auction notice for the sale of enslaved people belonging to the estate of the late Edmund Taylor, to be held in Louisville by the estate's executors.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
11/5/1796
An advertisement placed by Thomas Hart offering a reward for the apprehension and return of two runaway enslaved men, Billey and Ned.
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward for runaway enslaved man Charles
1/25/1797
An advertisement posted by Bird Price offering a reward for the capture and return of an enslaved man named Charles, who escaped from Fayette County in December 1796.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
2/15/1797
A runaway slave notice for a man named Harry, placed by Mary McRen or Moren in Bourbon County, Kentucky.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
8/23/1797
A runaway slave notice for a man named Wat, placed by the enslaver Samuel Gilbert of Madison County.
Kentucky Gazette
Thirty Dollars Reward
7/15/1800
A runaway slave advertisement offering a thirty-dollar reward for the capture and imprisonment of an enslaved man named Louis (or Lue) who fled from Washington, Mason County, Kentucky.
Kentucky Gazette
Ran away, Eleck
11/22/1797
A runaway slave advertisement for an enslaved man named Eleck who escaped from John Freeman's property near the mouth of Hickman Creek.
Kentucky Gazette
I have to lease
12/13/1797
An advertisement by Samuel Meredith offering land for lease and twelve to fourteen enslaved people for hire, including some skilled as house servants.
Kentucky Gazette
From the Baltimore Telegraphe
1/3/1798
An editorial commentary criticizing the inhumane treatment of enslaved people, specifically highlighting the practice of branding and bodily mutilation as described in West Indian newspaper advertisements.
Kentucky Gazette
Stop the Runaway
4/4/1798
A runaway slave advertisement placed by Nicholas Buckner seeking the return of a man named Harry who had escaped from Jefferson County.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
4/11/1798
A runaway slave advertisement placed by Peter Le Grand for a man named Abraham, who was an experienced fiddler and known to have a white wife near Cincinnati.
Kentucky Gazette
No Longer Offering Reward for Sam
10/3/1798
James Gatewood notifies the public that he has disposed of the enslaved man named Sam and will no longer pay a reward for his apprehension.
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward
10/10/1798
A runaway slave advertisement placed by William Walker seeking the return of two enslaved men named Ephraim and Nat who fled from his property on Silver Creek.
Kentucky Gazette
Rented out Negro slaves, Billy & Nanny
10/10/1798
An advertisement by T. Marshall of Woodford County offering two enslaved people, Billy and Nanny, for hire for a term of one year.
Marshfield News-Herald
Black stereotypes showcased in museum exhibition
3/2/2003
An article detailing a museum exhibit titled 'Americana, Extremes Meet' in Los Angeles that displays historical racist stereotypes and memorabilia to educate the public about American history.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Fifteen Dollars Reward
10/17/1798
A runaway slave notice posted by Samuel Renshaw seeking the return of an unidentified young man who escaped from near the mouth of Hickman Creek in Garrard County.
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward
10/24/1798
A runaway slave notice posted by William Walker for two enslaved men, Ephraim and Nat, who escaped from his property on Silver Creek in Madison County.
Detroit Free Press
Music: The Latest, The Best, The Most Popular
4/2/1899
An advertisement for C.A. Shafer's music shop in Detroit listing popular coon songs.
Needs transcription
The Palladium
Advertisement: Runaway, Jack
12/25/1798
An advertisement placed by Luke Haff seeking the capture and return of an enslaved man named Jack who ran away near Shelbyville, Kentucky.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty-five Dollars Reward
12/26/1798
An advertisement offering a twenty-five dollar reward for the return of an enslaved man named Harry, who was also using the name Sam Butler.
The Palladium
Five Dollars Reward: Run-away from the subscriber
2/12/1799
An advertisement by William Bowland seeking the capture of an enslaved man named Ned, also known as Edmond, who escaped from Woodford County.
Kentucky Gazette
Ran Away: Tom/Wilson
1/9/1796
A runaway slave advertisement placed by David Gillespie for a man named Tom, also known as Wilson, who escaped from custody while being transported between Frankfort and Woodford courthouse.
[Unknown]
Who will give cash for a negro boy
5/23/1795
A classified advertisement seeking a cash buyer for an enslaved boy who is approximately fifteen or sixteen years old and described as having a good character.
Kentucky Gazette
Three Dollars Reward
5/23/1795
An advertisement placed by Robert Megowan offering a reward for the capture and return of an enslaved man named Andrew who had run away.
Kentucky Gazette
Twenty Dollars Reward
5/16/1795
An advertisement offering a twenty-dollar reward for the capture and return of an enslaved man named Ben Berry, who escaped from his owner in Madison County.
Kentucky Gazette
Run Away From the Subscriber
5/16/1795
An enslaver named Harry Innes places a runaway slave advertisement for an enslaved man named James, who fled after being whipped.
Kentucky Gazette
Five Dollars Reward
8/10/1793
A runaway slave notice for an enslaved man named Saul who escaped from his enslaver, John Calhoon, on the 22nd of July 1793.
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward: Runaway
7/27/1793
An advertisement offering a ten-dollar reward for the capture of an enslaved man named John Grey, who escaped in May 1793.
Kentucky Gazette
Public Sale
7/13/1793
A legal notice regarding the public sale of land, fourteen enslaved people, and other personal property following a court decree in the cases of Cadwallader Slaughter and George Slaughter.
Chattanooga Daily Times
Great Rush to Register: Probably 2,000 Get Certificates First Day; Disturbance Reported at East Chattanooga
7/10/1912
A campaign card depicting Black children as 'alligator bait' caused a riot at a voter registration site in East Chattanooga during a record-breaking registration day. The article also covers local election organizing efforts by Hiram Tyree and issues with certificate shortages at the East Lake precinct.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward
6/1/1793
An advertisement for a runaway enslaved man named Jack, who fled his enslaver, Charles Wickliff, in May 1793.
The Times
Naked Pickaninnies Alligator Bait; But They Suffered No Serious Effect
9/13/1923
A racially charged article detailing a widely circulated claim that Black infants in Florida were being used as bait by alligator hunters.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
To Be Sold
1/8/1791
An advertisement for an estate auction involving the sale of twenty enslaved people and various land holdings by the executor of George Meriwether's estate.
The Tulsa Tribune
Alligator Bait? Lawsy, Lawsy, No!
9/25/1940
A newspaper account detailing a police interrogation of a Black woman accused of shoplifting, during which an officer makes a remark about using her baby as alligator bait.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Account of a wonderful Talent for Arithmetical calculations in an African Slave living in Virginia
7/25/1789
An account of Thomas Fuller, an enslaved African man in Virginia gifted with extraordinary mathematical abilities, detailing his interactions with curious observers and his life experiences.
Richmond Planet
WHITE MAN MOLESTS COLORED GIRLS; ARRESTED.
10/13/1923
A short news report stating that a white man named Leo Gill was arrested in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by fireman Edward Worthy for molesting several Black girls.
Needs transcription
The Afro-American
Infants For Alligator Bait Used In Florida
10/12/1923
An article reporting on allegations publicized by the NAACP that Black infants were being used as alligator bait in Chipley, Florida.
Needs transcription
The Houston Chronicle
"Alligator Bait" Gets Into Court Once Too Often
1/1/1900
A news report detailing the sentencing of a nine-year-old boy nicknamed "Alligator Bait" (Robert Dorsey) and three other youths to the Gatesville reformatory school, as well as the sentencing of another boy to the South Houston Home for Boys.
Needs transcription
The Black Dispatch
Charges Negro Preachers in Cohorts with the Klan
10/11/1923
Rev. C. S. Williams alleged that certain preachers were accepting funds from the Ku Klux Klan to manipulate their congregations into believing the organization was not harmful to Black citizens.
Needs transcription
Florida Today
Gibson-Respect/Alligator Bait
7/9/1968
An article featuring baseball pitcher Bob Gibson as he discusses his experiences with racism in America, including his time in the minor leagues in Columbus, Georgia.
Needs transcription
Kentucky Gazette
Ten Dollars Reward
9/13/1788
An advertisement by William Heth offering a ten-dollar reward for the return of an enslaved man named Sam, who had run away from Henry Heth in Washington County.
Kentucky Gazette
Three Dollars Reward
3/22/1788
An advertisement by John Campbell seeking the capture and return of an enslaved man named Isaac who has been missing since January 24, 1788.
Kentucky Gazette
TO BE SOLD
9/15/1787
A legal notice announcing the public sale of an enslaved Virginia-born woman and her three children, formerly the property of Robert Collins, to satisfy a debt to Meridith Helm.
New Pittsburgh Courier
INSTALL OFFICERS
7/23/1960
A photograph showing Sallie Calhoun of the Women's Auxiliary of Angell-Bolen Post 4040 installing Flossie Hinton as the new president.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Mother's Tears Greet Son Who Died A Martyr
9/3/1955
This article details the arrival of the body of 14-year-old Emmett Till at the Illinois Central Station in Chicago, following his lynching in Mississippi. It highlights the grief of his mother, Mamie Bradley, and includes responses from community leaders regarding the racial violence in Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Howard Sees Light Sentence
9/10/1955
Dr. T.R.M. Howard discusses the upcoming trial of the men accused of murdering Emmett Till, predicting they will receive light sentences and highlighting the racial tensions in Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
250,000 View Slain Youth's Body
9/10/1955
This article details the funeral of Emmett Till, who was lynched in Mississippi, and reports on the massive public attendance in Chicago and comments from mourners and community leaders.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Jury Returns Murder Counts
9/3/1955
Two Mississippi men were indicted by a grand jury for the kidnapping and murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till. The defendants pleaded not guilty while state officials asserted that the legal proceedings would be conducted according to the law.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Blood On Their Hands
9/10/1955
An editorial condemning the lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till and calling for federal action against racial violence and systemic injustice in Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Miss. Boxscore: 5 Killed In '55
9/1/1955
A report on the rising death toll of Black individuals in Mississippi during 1955, highlighting the lynchings of Rev. George W. Lee, Lamar Ditney Smith, and Emmett Till.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Demand Justice In Lynching
9/10/1955
This article reports on the unified demand for justice from Chicago citizens regarding the lynching of Emmett Till, featuring various testimonials and quotes from the Black community.
Needs transcription
The Chicago Defender
Rumors Fly Far, Fast About Till
9/10/1955
This article discusses the wave of rumors circulating in Chicago and Mississippi following the lynching of Emmett 'Bo' Till, including false reports about the suspects and the condition of the victim's body.
Needs transcription
The Gazette
The Professor's Murder: Startling Incidents of the Singular Crime in Dover
12/14/1872
An article detailing the gruesome murder and dismemberment of an Henry Turner by Dr. Isaac C. West in Dover, including West's confession regarding the killing of a man named Turner.
Needs transcription
The Montgomery Advertiser
To the Montgomery Public: Boycott Complaints Listed
12/25/1955
An open letter from the Negro ministers and their congregations in Montgomery detailing their grievances against the city bus company, which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Needs transcription
The Huntsville Mirror
New Garment Factory Opens in Montgomery
12/4/1954
A news brief reporting the opening of the Madison Park Factory No. 1 in Montgomery, Alabama, owned by Arthur A. Madison, with Leola Curlee and Rosa L. Parks supervising the sewing operations.
Needs transcription
The Huntsville Mirror
NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL TO MEET
4/16/1955
This article announces an upcoming meeting of the Montgomery Youth Council of the NAACP, featuring a guest speaker and honoring Claudette Colvin for her recent arrest and conviction regarding bus desegregation.
Needs transcription
Alabama Journal
Negro Girl Found Guilty Of Segregation Violation
3/19/1955
This article reports on the trial of 15-year-old Claudette Colvin, who was placed on indefinite probation by Juvenile Court Judge Wiley C. Hill Jr. for refusing to move to the back of a city bus in Montgomery.
Needs transcription
Alabama Tribune
E. D. Nixon Receiving Trophy from Young Men's Saving Club
2/13/1948
A newspaper photograph and report detailing the presentation of a trophy to E. D. Nixon by the Young Men's Saving Club for his leadership in the NAACP and his community activism during 1947.
The Huntsville Mirror
The Claudette Colvin Story
3/1/1955
This article details the arrest of 15-year-old Claudette Colvin for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery city bus and her legal battle. Written by Rosa Parks.
Needs transcription
Daily National Intelligencer
Emancipation Commission: List of Claimants and of Claims Presented
7/28/1862
A detailed legal notice published by the Emancipation Commission listing individuals filing claims for compensation for the emancipation of enslaved people in the District of Columbia, identifying both the petitioners and the names of the enslaved individuals.
San Antonio Light
Negro Found Lynched
3/15/1936
A news report detailing the lynching of H. P. Baker, a Black man who was abducted from Sheriff J. T. Van Horn by a mob while being transported to Columbus, Georgia.
Needs transcription
Sun Herald
Negro Found Lynched in School Yard
3/13/1935
An inquest jury returns a verdict that 29-year-old Ab Young died at the hands of parties unknown after being seized by a mob and lynched in Slayden, Mississippi, following the death of Hardy Mackie.
Emporia Daily Republican
A Negro Found Lynched
9/2/1897
A news brief reporting that an unidentified Black man's body was discovered hanging from a trot line in the Arkansas River near Robroy, Arkansas, with signs of a lynching.
Needs transcription
The Buffalo News
Negro Woman Lynched
6/16/1904
A newspaper report from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, describing the lynching of an African American woman named Maria Thompson after she killed a white farmer named John Irwin.
Needs transcription
Milwaukee Daily News
Negro Woman Lynched By a Louisiana Mob
7/27/1903
An article reporting on the lynching of a Black woman named Jennie Steer in Shreveport, Louisiana, after she was accused of poisoning a young girl named Elizabeth Dolan.
Needs transcription
Lancaster New Era
Negro Woman Lynched in Louisiana
7/27/1903
This report describes the extrajudicial lynching of a Black woman named Jennie Steer near Shreveport, Louisiana, following allegations that she poisoned Elizabeth Dolan.
Needs transcription
The Index-Journal
Two Negro Men and a Negro Woman Lynched by Georgia Mob for Killing White Man
11/19/1919
An Associated Press report documenting the lynching of three individuals—Will Perry, Willie Ivory, and Minnie Ivory—by a mob of 150 men after they were accused of killing Pearly Harper in Douglas, Georgia.
Needs transcription
Our Southern Home
Negro Woman Lynched
3/28/1901
A report from Nashville, Tennessee, detailing the lynching of a woman named Ballie Brutchfield by a mob who suspected her of stealing money from a neighbor's lost pocketbook.
Needs transcription
The Troy Messenger
Negro Woman Lynched Today
4/23/1913
A short news report from Strander, Mississippi, detailing the lynching of a Black woman named Mattie Musee by a group of Black individuals due to the alleged murder of her husband.
Needs transcription
The Truth
NEGRESS WHO SLEW PLANTER IS LYNCHED
10/4/1916
A report detailing the lynching of Sarah Connolly by a mob in Leary, Georgia, following the death of a local planter named E. M. Melvin.
Needs transcription
The Kirksville Graphic
Negro Woman Lynched
10/13/1916
A short news report from Arlington, Georgia, describing how a Black woman named Sarah Connolly was lynched by a mob after being removed from the jail in Leary.
Needs transcription
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Ex-Klansman Goes On Trial In Black's Hanging
5/17/1989
This article reports on the murder trial of Benjamin Franklin Cox, a former Ku Klux Klan member accused of involvement in the 1981 racially motivated killing of Michael Donald in Mobile, Alabama.
Needs transcription
Evening Express
Ex-Colored Soldier and Negro Woman Lynched in South
5/9/1919
A news report detailing the lynching of a Black military veteran and a Black woman near Pickens, Mississippi, following allegations that she had written an improper note to a white woman.
Needs transcription
New York Daily Herald
West's Trial: The Closing Argument by Attorney General; The Judge's Charge
6/11/1873
An account of the trial of Isaac C. West Jr. in Dover, Delaware, detailing the defense's insanity plea, the prosecution's closing arguments, and the final charge given by Chief Justice Gilpin to the jury regarding the case.
Needs transcription
The Monitor
Brutality of Mob is Inconceivable
8/17/1918
This report details the NAACP's investigation into a series of lynchings in Georgia, specifically highlighting the horrific murder of Mary Turner and ten others by a mob in May 1918.
Needs transcription
Boston Post
PHILLIS WHEATLEY. MEMOIR AND POEMS OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY, a Native African and a Slave.
3/19/1834
This notice announces the publication of 'Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley,' featuring a memoir written by a relative of Mrs. Wheatley and poems republished from a rare 1772 London edition.
Needs transcription
Hartford Courant
Farewell to America
5/18/1773
This clipping contains the poem 'Farewell to America' by the enslaved poet Phillis Wheatley, written as she departed for London. The preceding text notes that she and Nathaniel Wheatley were passengers on Capt. Cale's ship departing for London.
Needs transcription
Boston Herald
Mrs. Tubman, Who Served Col. Shaw's Last Meal, Present at His Memorial
5/31/1905
An article reporting on Memorial Day tributes at the Shaw Memorial in Boston, specifically highlighting the presence of Harriet Tubman, who shared memories of serving Col. Robert Gould Shaw his last meal and nursing him.
Needs transcription
The Indiana Gazette
Noted Negress Penniless
6/3/1911
This article reports that Harriet Tubman, the famous Underground Railroad conductor, has been admitted to the Harriet Tubman Home for the aged in Auburn, New York, in a state of illness and poverty.
Needs transcription
The New York Age
Harriet Tubman Needs Federation Money: Dr. James Edward Mason Investigates and Tells of Findings
2/8/1912
This article details an investigation by Dr. James Edward Mason into the financial needs of Harriet Tubman, who was residing at the Tubman Home in Auburn, New York, amidst a disagreement among the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs regarding continued financial support.
Needs transcription
The Ithaca Journal
Unusual Honors for Negress Who Rescued Slaves
7/8/1914
An article reporting on the unveiling of a memorial tablet at the Auburn Court House honoring Harriet Tubman, featuring a speech by Booker T. Washington.
Needs transcription
The Rochester Herald
Harriet Tubman Ill
6/2/1911
A newspaper report detailing the failing health and financial struggles of Harriet Tubman, noting her relocation to the home she established in Auburn, New York.
Needs transcription
The Rochester Herald
Memorial Proposed for Harriet Tubman Davis
5/2/1909
This article discusses a proposed memorial for Harriet Tubman Davis, detailing her life as an enslaved person, her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and her later life in Auburn, New York.
Needs transcription
The New York Age
Investigates Harriet Tubman's Condition
8/1/1911
This article details a report by Mary B. Talbert, president of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs, concerning the health and financial needs of Harriet Tubman. The Federation commits to providing ongoing financial support and supplies to ensure Tubman's comfort in her final years.
The Cleveland Leader
Harriet Tubman
3/4/1869
A biographical article about Harriet Tubman, detailing her work as an Underground Railroad conductor, her service during the Civil War, and her ongoing charitable work in Auburn, New York.
Needs transcription
The Liberator
Relief of Fugitives in Canada
1/10/1862
This article announces the formation of 'The Fugitive Aid Society of St. Catherine's' in Canada West, an organization dedicated to providing relief to sick or destitute fugitive slaves. It lists the society's officers and committee members, including Harriet Tubman, and provides instructions for sending contributions.
Needs transcription
New-York Tribune
Harriet Tubman Maltreated
10/28/1865
A short notice reporting that Harriet Tubman was mistreated while riding the New Jersey Railroad and seeking a witness, Charles F. Dodge, to provide testimony to the Anti-Slavery Office.
Needs transcription
Rochester Journal and the Post Express
Harriet Tubman in now living in Auburn
1/24/1868
A brief newspaper notice reporting that Harriet Tubman is living in Auburn, New York, in a destitute condition, and highlighting her history as a conductor for the enslaved and her service during the Civil War.
Needs transcription
Brooklyn Eagle
A Great Meeting Will Be Held
10/21/1865
An announcement for a public meeting at the African M. E. Church featuring a lecture by Harriet Tubman, who is described as a 'Great Underground Railroad Conductor and South Carolina Scout.' She is to be introduced by Theodore Tilton.
Needs transcription
The Royal Gazette
Imported in the Ship Anno, and to be sold by Edward Crook
3/21/1781
A notice regarding goods sold by Edward Crook and an extensive listing of enslaved people working for various departments of the British Army in Charleston during the American Revolution.
Needs transcription
New Orleans Commercial Bulletin
Auction Sales: List of Enslaved People for Sale by J. A. Beard & May
2/17/1857
A newspaper advertisement detailing multiple public auctions of enslaved men, women, and children, providing descriptions of their ages, skills, and status by auctioneers J. A. Beard & May.
Needs transcription
The Times-Picayune
Sale of Belle Chasse Plantation and Enslaved People
2/8/1860
This legal notice details the public auction of the Belle Chasse plantation, including the sale of over 100 enslaved individuals listed by name, age, and occupation, as well as livestock and plantation equipment.
Needs transcription
The Weekly Natchez Courier
Slave Record: List of slaves confined at the places named
8/28/1850
A published list of enslaved individuals confined in various jails across Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana, detailing their physical descriptions and the names of their enslavers.
Needs transcription
Evening Star
List of Claimants and of Claims Preferred before the Commission
7/30/1862
A public notice from the Emancipation Commission listing individuals filing claims for compensation for formerly enslaved people, issued following the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act.
Needs transcription
Daily National Intelligencer and Washington Express
Legal Notice of Petitioners for Compensation for Enslaved People
6/16/1862
This public notice lists numerous petitioners and the names and monetary valuations of the enslaved people they held in the District of Columbia following the Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862.
Needs transcription
Daily National Intelligencer and Washington Express
List of Enslaved People in the District of Columbia under the Compensated Emancipation Act
6/18/1862
A detailed legal notice documenting a list of enslaved individuals with their associated enslavers, published in accordance with the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862.
Needs transcription
Evening Star
Supplement to Evening Star: List of Claimants and of Claims Preferred Before the Emancipation Commission
6/27/1862
A public supplement listing claimants and enslaved individuals submitted to the Emancipation Commission in Washington, D.C., following the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act.
Needs transcription
The Washington Bee
Lynching Bees Are Bad Politics
1/22/1916
An editorial commentary criticizing the brutal lynching practices in Georgia and discussing the negative political and social consequences for the nation.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Daily Times
AWARDS NIGHT - Bunche Athletic Team
5/25/1964
A photograph and caption of the Bunche athletic team following an awards banquet held on Friday night.
The Glasgow Daily Times
Cheerleaders Get Award
5/25/1964
A photograph and caption featuring the Ralph Bunche High School cheerleaders and their sponsor, Miss Mary Poynter, receiving awards during a Friday night ceremony.
The Glasgow Republican
Ralph Bunche Graduates 1964 Group of Seniors
6/4/1964
A news clipping featuring a photograph of the 1964 graduating class of Ralph Bunche High School, including the names of the nine students.
The Macon News
Dodge Book Found on Slain Negro Shows Villipigue Murder Was Delegated to Grandison Goolsby
1/1/1916
An article detailing the violent aftermath of the killing of Henry Villipigue, an overseer, by Grandison Goolsby and his sons, which resulted in the retaliatory killings of several Black individuals and the burning of Black lodge buildings.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Republican
Ralph Bunche Gets Trees From Capitol
4/9/1964
Students at the Ralph Bunche School in Glasgow, Kentucky, planted two trees donated from the State Capitol grounds in Frankfort in honor of Arbor Day, under the supervision of the Glasgow Garden Club.
Evening Star
Lull in Race Riot; Six Negroes Dead
1/2/1916
This article reports on a violent racial conflict in Blakely, Georgia, following the killing of a white plantation overseer, resulting in the deaths of several Black residents and the destruction of local community buildings.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Republican
Glasgow's Ralph Bunche High Graduates 23 Seniors
5/31/1962
A newspaper article featuring a photograph and names of the 23 graduating seniors from the Class of 1962 at Ralph Bunche High School.
The Glasgow Republican
Ralph Bunche High Class Of 1960
5/26/1960
A photograph and article documenting the commencement exercises for the Ralph Bunche High School class of 1960, featuring valedictorian Donald Mills and salutatorian Lou Nell Stockton.
The Glasgow Republican
Graduation at Ralph Bunche High Sunday
5/21/1959
A photograph and caption depicting the graduating class of Ralph Bunche High School in Glasgow, Kentucky, who received their diplomas in 1959
The Watchman and Southron
Posse Kills Seven Negroes in Georgia
1/5/1916
A news report detailing a violent confrontation in Blakely, Georgia, where a white posse killed several Black men following the death of a white overseer, Henry Villapigue, involving members of the Goolsby family.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Republican
Bluehawks 'Feather Nest' By Winning B. G. Tourney
1/25/1962
A sports report detailing the Ralph Bunche Bluehawks basketball team's victory at the first annual High Street Invitational Tournament in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The Glasgow Daily Times
Student Essay On Roads Is Entered In Contest
3/11/1965
A student essay written by Pamela Franklin from Ralph Bunche High School is entered into a state-wide contest on how better roads would benefit her community.
The Glasgow Republican
Bunche Teacher to Attend Science Institute of U of K
5/3/1962
Mrs. Louise M. Jackson, a teacher of Science, Mathematics and Chemistry in the Ralph Bunche School, Glasgow, has been chosen to attend a summer science institute at the University of Kentucky.
The Glasgow Daily Times
Ralph Bunche High School "Blue Hawks"
3/2/1964
A feature photograph of the Ralph Bunche High School basketball team and cheerleaders, including a roster of players, coaching staff, and school administrators.
The Afro-American
Women, Children Turn Lynching into a Picnic
8/30/1930
An eyewitness account details the horrific lynching of Oliver Moore in Tarboro, North Carolina, noting the presence of men, women, and children who treated the event as a picnic.
Needs transcription
Messenger-Inquirer
20,000 See Bethea Die on Scaffold as Ex-Louisville Cop Springs Trap
8/14/1936
A detailed report on the public hanging of Rainey Bethea, a Black man convicted of assaulting an elderly white woman, which took place in Owensboro, Kentucky, in 1936.
Needs transcription
American Press
Lynching Defendant
1/1/1934
A brief news photograph and caption reporting that Walter Garton was on trial for the first-degree murder of Lloyd Warner, who had been lynched in St. Joseph, Missouri, the previous November.
Needs transcription
Evening Star
State to Offer Photos of Lynching Scene in Carolina Trial of 31
5/17/1947
This article reports on the trial of 31 white men accused of the 1947 lynching of Willie Earle in Greenville, South Carolina, noting the prosecution's use of crime scene photographs as evidence.
Needs transcription
The Washington Daily News
Witness Describes Lynching: Eye-Witness Tells How Mob Slew Man
10/19/1933
An eyewitness account by reporter George Ruark detailing the violent lynching of a Black man in Princess Anne, Maryland, in 1933.
Needs transcription
The Washington Daily News
They Were Both Victims of Violence / The Mobbers (An Editorial)
10/19/1933
This article and editorial report on the lynching of George Armwood in Maryland, who was accused of assaulting 71-year-old Mary Denson. The newspaper condemns the mob violence and calls for the state to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Needs transcription
Portland Press Herald
Philadelphia fire rages after standoff with radicals
5/14/1985
This article reports on the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, where police dropped a bomb on a fortified rowhouse, resulting in a massive fire that destroyed 60 homes.
Needs transcription
The Sanford Herald
Confrontation in Philadelphia: Three MOVE members reported dead in rubble
5/14/1985
A news report on the aftermath of the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, where police dropped a bomb on a fortified row house occupied by the group, resulting in fatalities and the destruction of surrounding homes.
Needs transcription
The Patriot Ledger
Mayor repents MOVE bombing
3/10/1986
Mayor Wilson Goode gives a televised speech expressing regret and accepting responsibility on behalf of the government for the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, which resulted in 11 deaths and widespread destruction. But not taking accountability for his personal involvement.
Needs transcription
Associated Press
Official defends MOVE bombing
1/29/1986
Former police commissioner Gregore Sambor testifies in the trial of Ramona Africa, defending the decision to bomb the MOVE organization headquarters in Philadelphia.
Needs transcription
Sun Herald
Panel to focus on history of struggle to get beaches in US racially integrated
6/20/2020
This article discusses a virtual panel event titled 'Still Waters Run Deep: The Fight for Beach Access Across America' which highlights the history of racially integrated beach protests, focusing specifically on the Biloxi wade-ins of 1959-1963.
Needs transcription
Hollywood Sun-Tattler
Editors Mailbag: City Library Called 'Provincial'; Teachers Don't Have Freedom Of Choice; Boy Of 11 Says Justice Unfair
1/1/1970
A collection of letters to the editor regarding the state of the public library, educational freedom of choice when it comes to teaching Black children, and a young boy's perspective on racial injustice in the United States. Speaks on the mob attacking the buses with Black children.
Needs transcription
The Record
Negro Dies at Hands of White Mob
11/30/1921
This article reports on the lynching of Leonard Woods, a Black man, by a white mob in Jenkins, Kentucky, after he was accused of murdering a mine foreman.
Needs transcription
Baltimore Afro-American
28 charged in mob attack on school children in S.C.
3/10/1970
This article reports on a violent attack by a white mob against Black school children in Lamar, South Carolina, following court-ordered desegregation.
Needs transcription
USA Today
11 whites arrested in attack on 3 blacks
12/23/1986
The article reports on the arrests of 11 white teenagers following a racial attack in Howard Beach, Queens, which resulted in the death of Michael Griffith, a Black man who was struck by a car while fleeing his attackers.
Needs transcription
The Cahaba Gazette
Life Insurance
10/3/1856
An advertisement for New York Mutual Life Insurance Company and Knickerbocker Life and Slave Insurance Company, which provided life insurance coverage for white persons and enslaved people.
Needs transcription
Richmond Dispatch
Insurance on Slaves / Slave Insurance
12/30/1859
Two advertisements promoting insurance policies for enslaved people, placed by Thomas M. Alfriend and the agents Cocke & Close.
Needs transcription
Spirit of Jefferson
Annuity and Trust Company of Philadelphia Slave Premiums
5/5/1857
An advertisement for life insurance policies on enslaved people offered by the Annuity and Trust Company of Philadelphia, listing specific premium rates by age and operational rules.
Needs transcription
The Virginia Gazette
Life, Fire, and Slave Insurance Advertisement
7/13/1859
An advertisement for Knowles & Walford, agents providing life, fire, and slave insurance services in Richmond, Virginia.
Needs transcription
Martinsburg Gazette
Virginia Slave Insurance Company
8/13/1835
This legal notice announces the opening of subscription books for the Virginia Slave Insurance Company, an organization formed to insure enslavers against financial losses resulting from enslaved people absconding.
The Era
Fire, River and Negro Insurance
9/6/1851
An advertisement for the Aetna Insurance Company, listing C. C. Lathrop as the agent in New Orleans. The advertisement specifically offers insurance policies on the lives of enslaved people.
Needs transcription
Tri-Weekly Commonwealth
The Kentucky Mutual Life Insurance Company / Negro Insurance
10/7/1853
An advertisement for the Kentucky Mutual Life Insurance Company promoting life insurance policies for enslaved people, specifically targeting occupations such as farm hands, waiters, and deck hands.
Needs transcription
Clarion-Ledger
Mississippi Notebook: Letters regarding the Emmett Till murder
9/18/1955
This column features a series of letters from readers reacting to Tom Ethridge's previous writings on the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till, reflecting a wide range of public opinion on the case and the racial climate in Mississippi.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Daily Times
Ralph Bunche School Receives 600 Books From Eastern Schools
1/31/1957
An article detailing the donation of over 600 books to the Ralph Bunche School by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity at New York University after the school principal reached out for assistance.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Republican
Charlie G. Mansfield, 84, receives polio vaccine at Ralph Bunche School
2/7/1963
At 84 years old, Charlie G. Mansfield visited the Ralph Bunche School to receive a Sabin polio vaccine on his birthday. He is pictured receiving the vaccine from Mrs. Rose Elliott as Dr. Russell Starr and other staff members look on.
Needs transcription
The Herald
Negro Killed At Voting Precinct In Kentucky City
11/4/1924
An election-day dispute at the Turkey Pen precinct in Danville, Kentucky, resulted in the fatal shooting of a Black man named Ed Doneghy by a white Democratic election challenger named Joe Hayden.
Needs transcription
Cass County Weekly
Slaves being taxed $3 is a problem
6/9/1859
This article discusses the taxation policies in Charleston and throughout the South, criticizing the low tax rate placed on enslaved people compared to other forms of property and income.
Needs transcription
The Shreveport Journal
14 Mississippi Men Go on Trial In Dahmer Case
4/28/1969
This article reports on the federal trial of fourteen men from Jones County, Mississippi, who were charged with conspiracy in the 1966 firebombing death of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer.
Needs transcription
The Florida Times-Union
7 Youths Pretending To Be Cops Assault N.Y. Negro Woman
7/5/1960
A 27-year-old woman reported being assaulted in Hempstead Lake State Park by a group of seven youths who impersonated police officers.
Needs transcription
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Negro Woman Raped by Four Youthful Assailants
9/26/1944
A 22-year-old woman was assaulted by four youths in Corpus Christi; the attackers were arrested at the scene by patrolmen.
Needs transcription
Daily World
Negro Woman Raped By Alabama Whites
5/16/1948
An article detailing the abduction, robbery, and rape of two Black women by two white men near Wetumpka, Alabama, noting that the perpetrators were being held without bond in the Elmore County Jail.
Needs transcription
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Negro Woman Raped By Six White Soldiers
9/11/1951
A newspaper article reports on the rape of a Black woman by six white soldiers in an army truck near Carthage, North Carolina, during military war games in August 1951.
Needs transcription
The Birmingham News
Negro woman raped, strangled
7/29/1947
A 26-year-old woman named Minnie Ruth Colvin was found murdered behind an Elyton Village shed after being raped and strangled.
Needs transcription
The Huntsville Times
Old Negro Woman Strangled, Raped
6/20/1949
An elderly Black woman named Ruth Gurley was found murdered and sexually assaulted in the yard of her home near Gurley, Alabama, after being discovered by her husband. Authorities questioned a 19-year-old youth in connection to the crime, which was also being investigated by the state toxicology branch.
Lexington Herald-Leader
8 Klansmen show for Glasgow rally
8/1/1994
An article reporting on a failed Ku Klux Klan rally in Glasgow, Kentucky, where only eight members appeared and were confronted by local residents like activist Mrs. X
Needs transcription
The College Heights Herald
33) Go to a Klan rally sporting an "X" hat.
11/20/1991
A photograph depicting a woman identifying as "Mrs. X" arguing with police officers on the steps of the Barren County Courthouse during a Ku Klux Klan rally.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Daily Times
Klan rallies at Barren County Courthouse
1/21/1989
A group of Ku Klux Klan members held a rally at the Barren County Courthouse, attended by approximately 300 spectators and monitored by local police. Features a photo of Mrs. X yelling at the Klan.
Needs transcription
The Courier-Journal
Advertisement for Mrs. M. B. Walker, Chiropodist and Manicure
1/1/1908
A business advertisement for Mrs. M. B. Walker, a chiropodist and manicure offering hair dressing, scalp treatments, and custom hair pieces, as featured in the 1908 National Negro Business League program.
The Messenger
Southern 'Heritage'
1/1/1993
A political editorial cartoon depicting the Confederate flag with Ku Klux Klan figures in robes and hoods arranged in the pattern of the stars, criticizing the misuse of the term 'heritage' to justify white supremacist symbols.
The Charleston Mercury
Private Sales
12/10/1856
This newspaper notice advertises the private sale of three separate rice plantations located in the Charleston and Colleton districts. Each listing includes details regarding the land acreage and the sale of enslaved people, referred to as 'prime negroes,' to work the plantations.
The Charleston Mercury
Auction Sales: Prime Gang of Rice Field Negros
1/21/1857
An advertisement for the public auction of a group of fifty-five enslaved individuals described as rice field workers, to be sold by Louis D. DeSaussure at the lot of Ryan & Son.
Needs transcription
Richmond Dispatch
List of Negro Prisoners
10/8/1862
An official military list issued by Brigadier General John H. Winder detailing free and enslaved Black individuals confined in Richmond's military prisons during the Civil War.
Needs transcription
The Times-Picayune
Negroes: Sale of Negroes Advertisements
12/21/1859
A collection of classified advertisements from slave traders and owners in New Orleans, offering enslaved people for sale and listing a fugitive man held in the Greene County jail.
Needs transcription
The Critic and Record
A Lynching Picnic
8/12/1882
A news report detailing an incident in Taylorville, Illinois, where a mob broke into a jail to abduct three men. John Montgomery, Lee Setts, and Emanuel Clements. and subjected them to torture and attempted lynching.
Needs transcription
Cambridge Democrat and News
Committed to Jail
2/18/1846
A notice by jailor John Taggart regarding an enslaved man named Abram who was committed to the local jail after running away from the man to whom he was hired.
The Banner (Abbeville, S.C.), February 18, 1846
Committed to Jail
2/18/1846
This brief article about how a man named Abram was taken into custody after running away for the 9th time. He is said to be enslaved by Henry Spikes. Abram appears to be between 60 to 70 years of age.
Needs transcription
Southeast Missouri Enterprise
"But"
12/14/1865
This article satirizes the contradictory views held by Southern Copperheads regarding the post-Civil War status of Black people and the economic impact of emancipation.
Needs transcription
The Waukegan Weekly Gazette
From Wheeling—The Slavery Question in the New State — Proposed Check on Negro Breeding
2/1/1862
This article reports on a proposition introduced at the Wheeling Convention by Mr. Battelle concerning the status of slavery in the prospective new state of West Virginia, including a proposal for the gradual emancipation of children born to enslaved parents.
Needs transcription
Chicago Tribune
Miserable Subterfuges and Double Dealings
9/17/1857
This article criticizes the New York Day Book for promoting the idea of extending slavery into free states and supports the views of President Buchanan on the expansion of slavery into federal territories. Mentions slave breeding.
Needs transcription
Chicago Tribune
The South Not a Unit for Disunion
11/16/1860
This article discusses the political climate leading up to the Civil War, focusing on the economic motivations of Southern states, the profitability of the domestic slave trade, and the potential impact of Lincoln's election on the institution of slavery.
Needs transcription
The Dodge County Citizen
Negro Breeding In Virginia
2/17/1859
This short article criticizes the economic motivations behind the practice of 'negro breeding' in Virginia, arguing that enslavers prioritize the high financial profit gained from raising and selling enslaved children over other considerations.
Needs transcription
The Sentinel-Leader
A Western Man for President
8/19/1859
An editorial from 1859 that analyzes U.S. census statistics to argue that the Western states are outgrowing the Eastern and Southern states and deserve a Western president. The article characterizes the Southern states as a section of 'negro breeding' and contrasts Western growth with the Southern plantation economy.
Needs transcription
The Liberator
Breeding Plantations in America
3/25/1842
An article containing a letter to the editor of the London Morning Chronicle discussing the practice of breeding enslaved people for sale in the United States.
Needs transcription
The Evening Post
Important to Babies
11/26/1850
A short piece describing a new mechanical cradle invention by Mr. L. F. Whitaker, while including a racist remark regarding the use of such devices on breeding plantations.
Needs transcription
Rochester Journal and the Post Express
Sherman's March Across Georgia - Incidents and Accidents by the Way
1/14/1865
A report from a Savannah correspondent describing the experiences of enslaved people following General Sherman's army during the March to the Sea, highlighting their hardships and the realities of slavery encountered by the soldiers. Mentions breeding plantations.
Needs transcription
Clarion-Ledger
Mississippi Notebook: Our State A Target For Hate Campaign
9/4/1955
Tom Ethridge deflects criticism of the lynching of Emmett Till by criticizing the NAACP and comparing the case to the murder of Joanne Pushis in Chicago. Readers write in.
Needs transcription
The Critic and Record
A Lynching Picnic
8/12/1882
An account of a mob in Taylorsville, Illinois, that broke into a jail to lynch three men accused of assaulting a local school teacher, Miss Emma Bond.
Needs transcription
Buffalo Courier Express
The Spur of The Moment: Halloween Lynching Party (An Alabama Community Announcement)
10/30/1934
A satirical piece by Edmund J. Kiefer detailing a fictionalized 'Halloween Lynching Party' as a dark commentary on Southern racial violence and mob justice.
Needs transcription
The Afro-American
Lynch Mob Made Victim Eat His Own Organs
11/24/1934
This article reports on the brutal lynching of Claude Neal in Marianna, Florida, detailing the torture he endured at the hands of a mob and the involvement of the local community in the violence.
Needs transcription
Piedmont Inquirer
A Tinge of Barbarism
4/28/1899
An editorial piece reflecting on the recent lynching of Sam Hose in Georgia, condemning the brutality of the mob while referencing prevailing racial attitudes of the era.
Needs transcription
The American Republican
What A Negroe's Life is Worth in Delaware
6/17/1873
An article detailing the controversial acquittal of Dr. Issac C. West for the brutal murder and mutilation of Henry Turner, criticizing the justice system in Delaware.
Needs transcription
Grand Rapids Eagle
A New York Slave Ship Captured
12/25/1859
A brief news report stating that a New York slave ship carrying 500 enslaved people was captured by a British war steamer off the coast of Sierra Leone.
Needs transcription
The Charleston Daily Courier
Marine List: Port of Charleston
12/13/1804
A marine shipping report detailing vessels arriving at and clearing from the Port of Charleston. Notably, it records the arrival of the schooner Mary from Africa via Santa Cruz carrying 37 enslaved people.
The Charleston Daily Courier
Marine List: Port of Charleston
8/5/1805
This shipping report documents the arrival of the Sloop Louisa at the Port of Charleston, noting it carried 93 enslaved people belonging to Philip Gardner from Africa.
Virginia Argus
Slave Trade!
10/9/1805
A reprint from a Charleston newspaper detailing the arrival of slave ships carrying hundreds of enslaved people to be sold, followed by a condemnation of the slave trade and a call for its abolition.
The Charleston Daily Courier
Advertisements for Slave Ship Cargo Sales and Goods
4/8/1807
A collection of classified advertisements from the Charleston Daily Courier, detailing the arrival and sale of enslaved individuals from multiple ships at Gadsden's Wharf, as well as local commercial listings.
The Charleston Daily Courier
Jury of Inquest Reports
4/8/1807
Two short reports describing inquests held for deceased African individuals found in the harbor, suspected of being thrown overboard from slave ships to avoid burial expenses.
Maryland Gazette
Loss of the Ship Phoenix and her Cargo of Slaves
11/11/1762
A report on the wreck of the slave ship Phoenix during a storm, detailing the suffering of the crew and the insurrection and subsequent death of the enslaved people on board.
Needs transcription
The Virginia Gazette
Just arrived in York River, from Africa
6/5/1752
Two commercial notices announcing the arrival of the slave ships Alice and Black-Prince in the York River, providing details on upcoming sales of enslaved people at York Town and West-Point.
The Daily Madisonian
Mr. Webster to Captains Bell and Paine
11/23/1842
A letter from Secretary of State Daniel Webster to U.S. Navy Captains Bell and Paine requesting detailed information on the operational practices of the African slave trade to assist the government in suppressing it.
Needs transcription
The Charleston Daily Courier
Marine List, Port of Charleston
6/1/1805
A marine shipping list detailing vessels arriving at the Port of Charleston, including cargo manifests that document the trafficking of enslaved individuals from Africa.
The Charleston Daily Courier
Slave Ship Marine List
10/21/1805
A newspaper marine list from the Charleston Daily Courier detailing slave ship movements.
The Palladium
Charleston Advertisements
3/27/1806
Shows slave ship adverts form Charleston. The Palladium, March 27, 1806, Page 2. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palladium-slave-ship-cargo/185563223/ : accessed August 1, 2026), clip page for Slave ship cargo by user englishwalter
Needs transcription
The Virginia Gazette
A Scheme for disposing of, by the way of Lottery The following Land, Houses, and Slaves
5/4/1769
Mentions names of enslaved individuals.
Needs transcription
The Glasgow Republican
Ralph Bunche High Class of 1960
5/26/1960
Ralph Bunche High Class of 1960, Valedictorian: Donald Mills, Salutatorian: Lou Nell Stockton Principal address: Dr. D. E. King, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Louisville Front: Linda Wood, Lou Nell Stockton, Nannie Ellingtion Lovelia Brown, Katherine Parrish, Joyce Duvall, Dorothy Buford, Shirley Mills Second: Mildred Brown, Charles Hayes, Jewell Brown, Paul Wood, Gene Wood, Eugene Moffitt, Charles Barlow, William Holman, Betty Childress Third: Cloy Ray, Bobby Barbour, James Alexander, Donald Smiley, Perry Lewis, Ronald Rhodes, Howard Hayden, Donald Mills, David Bransford, Jr.
The Liberator
Harriet Tubman
2/21/1862
A meeting was held at the twelfth Baptist church in Boston
Needs transcription
Brooklyn Eagle
Mrs. Harriet Tubman, the Colored Nurse and Scout - The Bridge Street African M. E. Church Last Evening
10/23/1865
Harriet Tubman speaks. Mentions Harriet getting maltreated by a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Needs transcription
The New York Age
Harriet Tubman Donations
8/24/1911
Various women's clubs and well wishers send money and linen. Many respond to call for aid.
Needs transcription
The Freeman
Coon Songs Must Go
1/2/1909
Coon songs were rag time songs done in blackface. Stereotypes in the lyrics falsely portrayed Black people as lazy, hyper-violent, or simple-minded, using offensive language and dialect.
Needs transcription
Monthly Community Event
Brister English Press Cuts Up
Once a month we gather on Zoom. We search the papers together. We clip what we find. Everything gets added to the archive right here, in real time.