Black Americana
Black Americana
Barack Obama becomes America's first African-American president...
Item #680272
November 05, 2008
(2) NEW YORK TIMES, Nov. 5, 2008 and Jan. 21, 2009 A great pair of issues reporting both the election and inauguration of the first African-American president to occupy the White House.
The banner headline of the 5th is a simple: "OBAMA" beneath which is: "Racial Barrier Falls In Decisive Victory". The banner headline of the 21st announces: "OBAMA TAKES OATH, A... See More
1947 World Series of baseball... Jackie Robinson...
Item #703721
October 01, 1947
THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 1, 1947
* 1947 World Series of baseball (game 1)
* New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers
* 1st game to include a African American (Jackie Robinson)
The top of the front page has a one column heading: "YANKS' 5 IN FIFTH BEAT DODGERS, 5-3, IN SERIES OPENER" with subheads. (see images) Much more in the sport's section with headings, photos and sta... See More
The Alabama delegation secedes from the Union...
Item #172440
February 09, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, Feb. 9, 1861 The full front page is a print of: "The Seceding Alabama Delegation In Congress" showing nine men. Text on the men takes over half of page 2.
Other prints within include: "Captain J. G. Foster, Engineer Corps U.S.A., On Duty at Fort Sumter" "Arrival of the United States Steam Sloop 'Niagara' At Jeddo, Japan, with t... See More
Civil Rights leader James Farmer death...
Item #695910
July 10, 1999
LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 10, 1999
* James Farmer death (first report)_
* Civil rights activist movement leader
* Partnered with Martin Luther King Jr.
The front page has a small one column photo of James Farmer with brief text. (see) The top of page 15 has a two column heading: "James S. Farmer; Was Top Civil Rights Leader" with photo showing Farmer with MLK.
Complete with all se... See More
Carl B. Stokes... First African-American Mayor of a large U.S. city...
Item #647897
November 09, 1967
THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Massachusetts, November 9, 1967
* Carl B. Stokes becomes 1st African-American mayor of a large U.S. city
* Elected mayor of Cleveland, Ohio
* Richard G. Hatcher becomes 1st African American mayor of Gary, Indiana
The front page has a four column heading: "Negro Elected Mayor in Gary, Ind.; Stokes Apparent Victor in Cleveland" First report coverage on ... See More
General Fremont... his bridge... his march... Hampton Roads...
Item #172520
November 16, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, November 16, 1861 Full front page is a print captioned: "Last Meeting Between General Scott and the Cabinet" which shows Lincoln among them.
Other prints inside include: "The Great Expedition--General Sherman Giving His Final Orders to His Brigadier-Generals on Board the 'Wabash' " "Consultation Between General Viele & the ... See More
John Q. Adams promises to rescind the infamous "Gag Rule"...
Item #684786
December 03, 1844
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Dec. 3, 1844
* President John Quincy Adams
* To suspend the notorious Gag Rule
* Anti slavery movement - slaves
Page 3 has a report from the House of Representatives concerning infamous "Gag Rule" which prevented members of the House of representatives talking about slavery or related topics.
The report notes that Adams would... See More
News from Hood's operations...
Item #697662
October 19, 1864
THE CHARLESTON MERCURY, South Carolina, Oct. 19, 1864
* Rare Confederate publication
* Origin of the American Civil War
Among the front page reports on the Civil War are: "The News of Hood's Operations" "Letter from Richmond" "From the Valley - Camp near New Market" "Interesting from the North" "Mobile and Charleston" and more.
Some war... See More
The fugitive slave case of Bill Fisher...
Item #692805
July 27, 1853
NEW YORK DAILY TIMES, July 27, 1853
* Fugitive Slave Case
* Bill Fisher
The front page has: "The Fugitive Slave Case--The Health of the City, etc." being the slave case of Bill Fisher. This report takes three-quarters of a column and includes: "...as soon as the marshal drove off with the slave, a number of them followed the carriage. The friends of the slave will follo... See More
One of the less common illustrated newspapers from the Civil War...
Item #692095
June 15, 1861
NEW YORK ILLUSTRATED NEWS, June 15, 1861 Formatted very much like the more popular 'Harper's Weekly' but considerably more uncommon.
The front page shows: "Shackles & Handcuffs Used by Slave Drivers in Virginia" and: "Brilliant Exploit...in the Rescue of Two of Their Comrades who were to be Hung by the Rebels at the Village of Fairfax, Va."; a full-page p... See More
The Monitor versus the Merrimac...
Item #172562
April 12, 1862
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, April 12, 1862 The front page has prints of: "Major-General Buell" "Brigadier-General Shields" and "Bomb-Proof Sandbag Battery at New Bern, North Carolina, Taken by General Burnside's Troops."
Inside has a full page with 3 prints: "Views at New Madrid and Point Pleasant" and another full page with 2 naval prints: &qu... See More
Harper Lee court case... "To Kill A Mockingbird" under fire...
Item #673844
January 16, 1966
THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 16, 1966 (1st section only)
* Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird joins court case
* Kasturba Gandhi tries to win leadership roll in India
Page 82 contains the heading: "Harper Lee Twits School Board in Virginia for Ban on Her Novel", followed by an explanation on how she humiliated the school board saying, "To hear the novel is immora... See More
The famous anti-slavery newspaper...
Item #695947
March 20, 1851
THE NATIONAL ERA, Washington, D.C., March 20, 1851 An anti-slavery newspaper that is best known for its link to the best selling novel of the 19th century, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This historic work first appeared as a 41-week serial in The National Era, starting on June 5, 1851.
The complete serialization appeared almost entirely in the National Era b
... See More
Uncommon woman suffrage paper from Syracuse...
Item #693888
January 01, 1879
THE NATIONAL CITIZEN & BALLOT BOX, Syracuse, New York, January, 1879
* Rare Woman's suffrage publication
A quite rare women's suffrage newspaper which lasted less than 3 1/2 years under this title.
Mott notes in his "History Of American Magazines" that this publication was financed in part by Susan B. Anthony, and that having failed with The Woman's Campaign... See More
Many Civil War related prints...
Item #172466
May 11, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, May 11, 1861 The front page has prints of: "Colonel Ellsworth of the Fire Zouaves" and "Colonel Wilson of Wilson's Brigade" with related text.
Inside has many war-related prints including: "View of Fort McHenry, Baltimore" "The Burning of the Bridge at Canton, Maryland, by the Mob" "The Rendezvous of the Virgini... See More
Tuskegee Airmen honored at museum...
Item #690315
September 26, 1982
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 26, 1982
* Tuskegee Airmen honored w/ opneing
* African American pilots of WWII
* National Air and Space Museum exhibit
* 1982 Wilkes-Barre shootings
* George Banks spree killings
The top of page 33 has a two column heading: "Museum Exhibit Traces Blacks' Role in Aviation" with related pictorial. (see) First report coverage on the "Black Wings... See More
University of Georgia integration in 1961...
Item #676181
January 12, 1961
THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 12, 1961
* Charlayne Hunter-Gault & Hamilton Holmes
* University of Georgia 1st African-American students
The top of the front page has a one column heading: "GEORGIA STUDENTS RIOT ON CAMPUS; TWO NEGROES OUT" with subhead and photo of Hunter-Gault leaving campus. Coverage continues on page 20 with another photo of Hunter-Gault sitting in a cla... See More
Louisiana Colored soldiers... Centerfold by Winslow Homer...
Item #172654
February 28, 1863
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, February 28, 1863 The full front page is a print of: "Major-General Hooker, Commanding the Army of the Potomac". .But perhaps the most notable print is the nice doublepage centerfold done by noted artist Winslow Homer: "Pay Day in the Army of the Potomac".
Other prints within include a half pg: "Our Colored Troops--Line Officers of the... See More
Death of Martin Luther King, Jr...
Item #688608
April 06, 1968
THE PRATT TRIBUNE, Kansas, April 6, 1968
* Martin Luther King Jr. assassination (2nd report)
* America riots - protests - racial violence
The top of the front page has a three column headline: "Troops Ordered To Protect Capital" Also on the front page is another three column heading: "Nation's Cities Threatened By Wave Of Racial Violence" More on the back ... See More
On vegetarians... Fugitive Slave... Traveling to California...
Item #692177
July 06, 1850
THE GREENSBOROUGH PATRIOT, (Greensboro), North Carolina, July 6, 1850 Rarely are we able to secure antebellum newspapers from this city.
This issue is chock full of interesting articles, a few on the front page including: "Effects of a Vegetable Diet" which is a curious item with refutations from "...a beef-eating German..."; "Milwaukie" [Milwaukee] which conce... See More
Monkeys in Central Park... Morocco...
Item #174764
April 28, 1883
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, April 28, 1883 Nice full ftpg. shows 5 children: "The Transit of Venus". A fullpg. shows monkeys at the Museum of Natural History, Central Park. Fullpg: "The Salt Mine of Petite Anse" in Louisiana. Half pg: "The Drummers' Room in a Western Hotel" & "Sketches on the West Coast of Africa". Full page with 5 scenes: &... See More
Everglades of Florida...
Item #175168
March 12, 1887
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, March 12, 1887 Full ftpg: 'Henry Ward Beecher'. Fullpg: 'The Everglades of Florida' shows 5 scenes, including 1 of Lake Okeechobee. 3/4 pg: 'Pushing Thru the Everglades'. Dramatic dblpgctrfld: 'After The Blizzard' shows a dead family snowbound in their wagon. Fullpg: 'Sketches in the U.S. Senate'.
Other news and advertis... See More
Famous & dramatic fireman print...
Item #173694
February 08, 1873
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, February 8, 1873 Full front page is a very dramatic & displayable print for a fireman: 'The Rescue', showing a fireman with a young girl in his arms, climbing down a ladder. Full page 'Transplanting Fish' includes 4 illustrations along with an accompanying article. Nearly full page with 3 illustrations; 'The U.S. Mail Service in the Nort... See More
"Cabin in the Sky" premiere review....
Item #661458
October 26, 1940
THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 26, 1940
* Cabin in the Sky 1st review
* Broadway musical w/ Ethel Waters
This 36 page newspaper has the very 1st review of the all black cast Broadway musical "Cabin in the Sky"
Page 19 has a heading: "Ethel Waters Heads Players of 'Cabin in the Sky,' a Musical Fantasy With a Negro Cast" with photo of Waters and list of cast (see ima... See More
Martin Luther King Jr. is arrested...
Item #696026
August 11, 1962
THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., Aug. 11, 1962
* Albany Georgia civil rights rally - prayer
* Martin Luther King Jr. arrest and jail release
The top of page 6 has a one column heading: "NEGROES GET PROBATION IN GA. PROTESTS" with subhead. (see)
Complete with 30 pages, light toning at the margins, nice condition.
wikipedia notes: The Albany Movement was a desegregatio... See More
Early from the capital of Florida...
Item #671841
October 14, 1854
THE FLORIDIAN AND JOURNAL, Tallahassee, Florida, Oct. 14, 1854
* Rare pre-Civil War publication
A nice & uncommon opportunity for a very early newspaper from the capital of Florida.
Very rarely are we able to find antebellum Florida newspapers, particularly from the capital. Formatted much like other newspapers of the day with various news reports both local & national, and a ... See More
Bobby Grier breaks Sugar Bowl color barrier...
Item #696507
December 03, 1956
THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., Dec. 3, 1956
* Bobby Grier breaks color barrier
* 1956 Sugar Bowl classic
* Georgia Tech vs. Pitt
The top of page 23 has a two column heading: "Tainted Tech Tally Beats Pitt Team, 7-0" with subhead and lineups. (see) Other major bowl games reported as well.
Complete with all 28 pages, light toning at the margins,
nice condition.
wikiedpia notes... See More
Academy Award winners 1964...
Sidney Poitier wins... 1st black male...
Item #688591
April 14, 1964
LEOMINSTER ENTERPRISE, Mass., April 14, 1964
* Sidney Poitier wins Best Actor Oscar
*1st African American male to win an Academy Award
Near the bottom front page is a two column heading: "Poitier, Neal, 'tom Jones' Receive Academy Awards" (see) Sidney Poitier, who came from very humble beginnings, was the 1st African American man to win an Academy Award. Quite historic.
... See More
Considerable detail on the slave ship Haidee...
Item #683977
October 05, 1858
NEW YORK TIMES, Oct. 5, 1858 The ftpg. has: "The Montauk Point Mystery Explained" "A New York Slave-Ship Scuttled Off Long Island" "Nine Hundred Slaves Landed by the Haidee in Cuba" "Arrest of the Mate and Five of the Crew--Description of the Ship" with the text taking over a full column.
It mentions in part: "...that the Haidee was fitted out at... See More
First African-American in the House of Representatives...
Item #693452
March 01, 1869
THE PRESS, Philadelphia, March 1, 1869
* 1st African American to make speech in Congress
John Willis Menard has the distinction of being the first African-American to be elected to the House of Representatives, representing Louisiana, and consequently on February 27 he became the first to address the chamber.
* 1st African American to make speech in Congress
John Willis Menard has the distinction of being the first African-American to be elected to the House of Representatives, representing Louisiana, and consequently on February 27 he became the first to address the chamber.
The back page is mostly taken up with reports from Congress & includ
... See More
A slave map of Georgia...
Item #172528
December 14, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, December 14, 1861 The entire front page is taken up with: "A Chart Map Of Georgia, Showing The Percentage of Slaves In Each County." Inside has a full page with seven: "Scenes in & Around Beaufort, South Carolina"; another page has 3 prints of: "The Stone Fleet on its Way to the Southern Coast"; a full page with 3 prints: "... See More
University of Michigan prints from 1887...
Item #616767
July 09, 1887
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, July 9, 1887
* University of Michigan - U-M
* Ann Arbor buildings prints
Nice, tipped-in double page centerfold: "The University Of Michigan, At Ann Arbor" features 9 illustrations of the notable buildings on the campus, including: "The Library" "The Museum" "The Medical School" "The School Of Dentistry"... See More
Mordecai Noah & his plans for a Jewish refuge in America...
Item #683320
January 29, 1820
NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, Jan. 29, 1820
* Mordecai Manuel Noah
* Jewish homeland on the Niagara River
Inside has over 2 pages taken up with: "The Slave Question" as it relates to the on-going Missouri Compromise debate.
Another page has: "The Jews" which concerns the famed Mordecai Noah, considered the first American-born Jew to rise to national promi... See More
Mordecai Noah & his plans for a Jewish refuge in America...
Item #683319
January 29, 1820
NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, Jan. 29, 1820
* Mordecai Manuel Noah
* Jewish homeland on the Niagara River
Inside has over 2 pages taken up with: "The Slave Question" as it relates to the on-going Missouri Compromise debate.
Another page has: "The Jews" which concerns the famed Mordecai Noah, considered the first American-born Jew to rise to national prominence.... See More
On John Brown's invasion of Harper's Ferry...
Item #172312
November 19, 1859
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, November 19, 1859 The full front page shows 3 illustrations of: 'Effect of John Brown's Invasion At The South', one being: 'A Southern Planter Arming His Slaves to Resist Invasion' and the other two showing Blacks as well. A halfpage illustration is entitled 'Chatham Street, N.Y., on Sunday'. A third-page illustration features the &q... See More
Lengthy on the trial of John Brown...
Item #689626
October 31, 1859
DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Oct. 31, 1859 Page 2 has nearly 3 columns taken up with: "The Harper's Ferry Conspiracy--Trial of Captain Brown" with very detailed, verbatim testimony.
Page 3 has two related articles: "The Harper's Ferry Trials" and: "Gerrit Smith and Capt. Brown" as seen in the photos.
This insurrection was an effort b... See More
Negro League star Satchel Paige signed with the Atlanta Braves...
Item #672324
August 13, 1968
LEOMINSTER ENTERPRISE, Mass., August 13, 1968
* Negro League star Satchel Paige signed with the Atlanta Braves at 70 years of age.
* He may pitch!
Page 6 has: "Ageless Satch Paige Has Signed On With Atlanta", which includes approx. 8 inches of supporting text. See images for details.
Complete in 10 pages, evenly toned, overall good.
Background: Satchel Paige had the honor of... See More
Capture of the slave ship "Brothers"... California gold... Indian Wars...
Item #678328
November 15, 1858
THE NEW YORK HERALD, Nov. 15, 1858 The 1st column of page two has: "Arrival of Another Captured Slaver at Charleston", which tells of the capture of the slave ship 'Brothers". Another related article providing additional details is found on page 4.
Page 2 also has: "Our California Correspondence - A Visit to Fraser River - The Gold Diggings and the Yield of the Preci... See More
Early prints of the Southwest, including San Diego...
Item #688560
December 22, 1855
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Dec. 22, 1855 The ftpg. shows: "Sunken Schooner Eudora, From City Island" with more relate prints inside including: "The Eudora Tragedy--Arrest of the Negro" and "Burning of the Steamers at Memphis". Also a print of: "Greytown, Nicaragua" "Explosion of a Steam Fire-Engine, Cincinnati" a doublepg. cent... See More
"The Book Thief" - premier ad and review...
Item #683332
November 08, 2013
LOS ANGELES TIMES, Nov. 8, 2013
* 12 YEARS A SLAVE -
* THE BOOK THIEF REVIEW
Page D2 has a large ad for the premiere of "The Book Thief", with a corresponding review on page D7. Page D6 has an advertisement for "12 YEARS A SLAVE". Other large ads include: "CAPTAIN PHILLIPS", "ABOUT TIME" and "ALL IS LOST".
The issue is beli... See More
Three slave ads in an antebellum newspaper...
Item #688471
March 14, 1859
THE MEMPHIS DAILY AVALANCHE, Tennessee, March 14, 1859 From not long before the Civil War containing on the front page 2 illustrated ads for slaves, with details. One notes: "For Sale...A no. 1 cook and laundress..."; and the other "Valuable Plantation and Negroes..." with details. Another reward ad inside.
Four pages, cleanly cut at the spine with ample margin, tears at... See More
Selma-Montgomery march ruling... Johnson's voting bill...
Item #702587
March 18, 1965
WALL STREET JOURNAL, Pacific Coast Edition, March 18, 1965 On the front page under the heading "World Wide" reports "Johnson Sent his new Negro voting bill to Congress"; "Alabama Officials were barred from hindering a 50-mile civil-rights march" and "Martin Luther King, Jr. triumphantly announced the decision to hundreds of his followers massed before the c... See More
P.T. Barnum's Museum fire... Ludlow Street Jail...
Item #173184
March 21, 1868
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, March 21, 1868 The prime feature of this issue is the set of full-page images related to the fire at P.T. Barnum's American Museum: 'Burning of Barnum's Museum - the Animals during the Fire,' and the 'Exterior of Barnum's Museum After the Fire'. Related text is present as well.
Full front page shows the 7: 'Portraits of Managers... See More
Harvard's 'special' commencement on the end of the Civil War... Slavery abolished in Georgia...
Item #688527
July 25, 1865
NEW YORK TIMES, July 25, 1865
* Harvard University commencement
* Georgia no longer a slave state
* Post civil war reconstruction era
The entire front page features the coverage of "HARVARD" "Culmination of the Grand Commencement" which concludes on the back page.
Although the Civil War had not formally concluded, Harvard's Commencement Week, celebrated th
... See More
Ada Lois Sipuel vs. Supreme Court ruling...
Item #590469
January 13, 1948
THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 13, 1948
* Ada Lois Sipuel - Supreme Court ruling (1st report)
* Sipuel v. Board of Regents of University of Oklahoma
* Law school for African Americans
This 52 page newspaper has a two column headline near the bottom of the front page: "Supreme Court Orders Oklahoma to Admit a Negro to Law School". Text continues on the back page (p. 52) with a one c... See More
Murder of Ellsworth... Events in Virginia & Florida...
Item #172476
June 15, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, June 15, 1861 Most of the front page is a three-part print captioned: "Secessionist Prisoner Captured at Alexandria--The Marshall House at Alexandria" with some front page text headed: "The Murder of Ellsworth".
Three-quarters of a page shows: "Company of Secession Cavalry Surrendering to Colonel Wilcox of the First Michigan Regiment, ... See More
Great, Navy-themed centerfold...
Item #172460
April 20, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, April 20, 1861 The front page shows: "Hon. Charles F. Adams, U.S. Minister to England" as well as a view of: "The Confederate Batteries Opposite Fort Pickens, Florida". Inside has a full page 5 panel print of: "Commander Dahlgren, U.S.N. and the Dahlgren Gun", and a full page of: "The Washington Navy-Yard With Shad Fisheries I... See More
Attack by Mormon gang... The Great Chicago Fire of 1857...
Item #698403
October 27, 1857
THE NORWALK EXPERIMENT, Huron County, Ohio, Oct. 27, 1857
* Mormon gang attacks traveler (?)
* Brigham Young mentioned
* Great fire in Chicago
Page 2 has: "The Mormons", which is an article describing a letter from a W. P. Landon who tells of being attacked by a gang of Mormons in Salt Lake City, which necessitated his fleeing to Placerville, California, leaving his wife and chi... See More
Slave ads in this antebellum Louisiana newspaper...
Item #684378
July 30, 1850
THE DAILY DELTA, New Orleans, July 30, 1850 Newspapers from the pre-Civil War South are rather difficult to find. Here is one from Louisiana.
Among the front page ads is one headed: "Slaves! Slaves! Slaves!" which notes in part: "The subscribers are prepared to receive, on consignment, for sale in this market, any number of slaves, having one of the best showrooms in the city... See More
Uncle Sam's 1st appearance with chin whiskers... National Colored Convention...
Item #173276
February 06, 1869
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, February 6, 1869 This issue features a large front page view of "Young Men's Christian Association Building, San Francisco, California". Also, a half page illustration "National Colored Convention in Session at Washington, D.C." with a related front page article. There are two full page illustrations "The Long Sleep" and "... See More
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