Black Americana
Black Americana
"The North Star" becomes "Frederick Douglass' Paper"...
Item #698970
September 08, 1854
FREDERICK DOUGLASS' PAPER, Rochester, New York, Sept. 8, 1854
* Extremely rare publication
We are pleased to offer this exceedingly rare--and highly desirable--newspaper by the famed Frederick Douglass. This weekly title is the continuation of his newspaper "North Star" which began in 1847.
Among the articles: "The Results of Emancipation" "The Fugit... See More
"The North Star" becomes "Frederick Douglass' Paper"...
Item #697755
May 20, 1852
FREDERICK DOUGLASS' PAPER, Rochester, New York, May 20, 1852
* Extremely rare publication
We are pleased to offer this exceedingly rare--and highly desirable--newspaper by the famed Frederick Douglass. This weekly title is the continuation of his newspaper "North Star" which began in 1847.
Much of page 2 is taken up with: "The Annual Meeting of the American Anti-Sl... See More
"The North Star" becomes "Frederick Douglass' Paper"...
Item #689770
June 17, 1852
FREDERICK DOUGLASS' PAPER, Rochester, New York, June 17, 1852 We are pleased to offer this exceedingly rare--and highly desirable--newspaper by the famed Frederick Douglass. This weekly title is the continuation of his newspaper "North Star" which began in 1847.
Douglass was perhaps the most famous 19th century African-American abolitionist who escaped from slavery and then ri... See More
America's first successful newspaper...
Item #689552
April 17, 1740
THE BOSTON WEEKLY NEWS-LETTER, "New England", April 10-17, 1740
* Among the earliest of American newspapers to be had
This very rare title was the first successful newspaper in the colonies, having begun in 1704 and lasting until the British occupation of Boston in 1776. It was only preceded by "Public Occurrances Both Foreign and Domestick" which published just a s... See More
Four documents signed by George Washington... Significant pronouncement by Franklin on slavery...
Item #701210
November 25, 1789
GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES, New York, Nov. 25, 1789
* Benjamin Franklin re. slavery - slaves
* Newly elected President George Washington
It contains: An Address to the Public" by Benjamin Franklin as President of the: "Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Free Negroes, Unlawfully Held in Bondage".
This is an extremely notewor... See More
Emancipation Proclamation from the city where it was issued...
Item #701592
September 23, 1862
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 1862
* Emancipation Proclamation
* President Abraham Lincoln
* Freedom for enslaved - slaves
* Best publication to be had (very rare)
Page 2 begins with the Emancipation Proclamation, from the city where it was issued.
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation that changed the federal legal status of... See More
The Emancipation Proclamation... Lincoln suspends the Writ of Habeas Corpus...
Item #689603
September 27, 1862
NEW YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE, September 27, 1862
* Emancipation Proclamation
* President Abraham Lincoln
Page 2 contains the full texts of the Emancipation Proclamation, perhaps the most significant Presidential pronouncement of the entire Civil War wherein Lincoln declared all slaves free.
Headed: "A Proclamation By the President of the United States" the document begins at the... See More
Much like the Olive Branch Petition... Reaction by the soldiers to reading the "...Causes & Necessity of Taking Up Arms"...
Item #687100
July 26, 1775
CONNECTICUT JOURNAL & NEW HAVEN POST-BOY, July 26, 1775
* American Revolutionary War
* Post Battle of Bunker Hill
A terrific issue, as the entire front page and most of page 2 are taken up with a terrific follow-up to the Olive Branch Petition, in fact, written just 3 days after it, in which the Continental Congress points out the many issues with its relations with England, detai... See More
British to attack Philadelphia... John Hancock... Creating battalions...
Item #715771
November 30, 1776
THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, Nov. 30, 1776 (editor's copy) This was a decidedly Tory newspaper, supportive of the British efforts in America. This newspaper ended publication in June, 1778 when the British evacuated the city.
The front page has a very detailed "Twenty Dollars Reward" ad for a runaway slave named Caesar. Page 2 has a report concerning an expedition into the... See More
A Phillis Wheatley poem and biography...
Item #667871
THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE London, September, 1773* Phillis Wheatley poem & biography
* Famous Woman servant turned poet
Near the back is a printing of a poem titled: "On Recollection" which was written by the famed black poetess Phillis Wheatley. This piece also includes a brief biography of her.
Phillis Wheatley was the first published African American poet and th... See More
Winslow Homer's famous Snap The Whip...
Item #173758
September 20, 1873
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, September 20, 1873 Certainly the prime feature of this issue is the much desired Winslow Homer doublepage centerfold: "Snap the Whip".
Front page features a 1/2 page illustration entitled: "The New School Mistress." Inside is a full page illustration of "Saved!" A article "The Northwestern University" with accompany illu... See More
Printed on a Southern plantation... The "reign of terror"...
Item #701902
December 08, 1862
THE COUNTRYMAN, Turnwold, Putnam County, Georgia, Dec. 8, 1862
* Only known title to be published on a Southern Plantation
* From Joel Chandler Harris's own personal collection
* Non-J.C.H. issues are quite valuable in and of themselves
The entire front page is taken up with a poem: "The Old Plantation!"
Page 3 has an editorial: "War" and page 4 is take... See More
Lincoln's famous letter to Greeley, with Greeley's response... "Prayer of twenty millions"...
Item #691068
August 25, 1862
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Aug. 25, 1862
* Famous Abraham Lincoln letter
* "A Prayer of Twenty Millions" reply
* Tribune publisher Horace Greeley
On page 4 is one of the more famous letters from Abraham Lincoln, being his reply to Horace Greeley's editorial of August 20, "A Prayer of Twenty Millions", which urged emancipation.
Lincoln replies in his letter with ... See More
The second of the Lincoln Douglas debates...
Item #687923
September 03, 1858
NEW YORK SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, Sept. 3, 1858
* Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas
* The Great Debates of 1858 (2nd of 7)
* Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois
We find that reports on the now-famous Lincoln Douglas debates are very difficult to find in newspapers outside of Illinois, perhaps not surprising because it was a senate race in Illinois and Lincoln was, at thi
... See More
* Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas
* The Great Debates of 1858 (2nd of 7)
* Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois
We find that reports on the now-famous Lincoln Douglas debates are very difficult to find in newspapers outside of Illinois, perhaps not surprising because it was a senate race in Illinois and Lincoln was, at thi
Terrific slave auction illustration from 1856 - one of the most desirable...
Item #704979
November 29, 1856
ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, England, Nov. 29, 1856 The most notable item within this issue is the very nice full page print captioned: "Slave Sale, Charleston, South Carolina, From A Sketch By Eyre Crowe", which depicts the sale of over a dozen slaves.
This woodcut print of Eyre Crowe's painting remains one of the most desired on the slave trade as only rarely are... See More
Phillis Wheatley arrives in London...
Item #702240
June 22, 1773
THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, June 22, 1773
* Phillis Wheatley's London arrival
* Famous Woman servant turned poet
Certainly the most notable report is found on the back page, which contains: "Last Thursday the celebrated negro girl Phillis, the Poet, whose extraordinary talents have lately been taken notice of in the News Papers, arrived in London from Boston in New England. She ... See More
Great account of the last of the Lincoln-Douglas debates...
Item #705619
October 23, 1858
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Oct. 23, 1858 Keeping in mind that this was from the period of the Lincoln/Douglas debates, page 4 has a report from Springfield headed: "Illinois Politics" which talks of Stephen Douglas.
Taking over a full column is a fine report on the last of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, this one at Alton, Illinois.
A few excerpts from the report include: "... See More
Chief Justice Taney on the Dred Scot Decision...
Item #690761
March 09, 1857
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, March 9, 1857
* Historic Dred Scott Decision
* Famous former slave case
Page 5 has nearly 2 1/2 columns taken up with a report on the historic Dred Scott Decision, a landmark decision of the Supreme Court in which the Court held that the Constitution was not meant to include American citizenship for black people, regardless of whether they were enslaved or free,... See More
The Emancipation Proclamation... In a pro-South newspaper...
Item #704713
September 24, 1862
THE CRISIS, Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1862
* Emancipation Proclamation
* President Abraham Lincoln
* Rare pro-Confederate publication
Given the focus of this controversial newspaper, being supportive of the Southern cause while publishing in the North, it is particularly noteworthy that this issue contains on page five the Emancipation Proclamation whereby President Lincoln would fr... See More
The Emancipation Proclamation...
Item #701595
January 03, 1863
NEW YORK TIMES, Jan. 3, 1863 Although the front page has some great coverage on the battle of Murfreesboro & other war events, the prime content is on page 5 where the first column contains the complete text of the Emancipation Proclamation.
It is headed: "EMANCIPATION" "President Lincoln's Proclamation" "The Slaves in Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, ... See More
The slave ship...
Item #172368
June 02, 1860
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, June 2, 1860 The prime print in this issue is the three-quarter page illustration captioned: "The Slave Deck on the Bark 'Wildfire' Brought Into Key West on April 30, 1860." This print shows a huge number of slaves crammed on the deck. The balance of the page is related text on this slave ship, plus the facing page has additional text and 4 re... See More
Niles' eight essays on the 'Mitigation of Slavery'...
Item #691745
May 08, 1819
NILES WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore
* The "Mitigation of Slavery" - 8 issues
* Serialized essay by Hezekiah Niles'
* His plan to abolish slavery in America
* His plan to abolish slavery in America
A set of 8 issues which contain all eight essays by publisher Hezekiah Niles titled the: "Mitigation of Slavery" in which he puts forth five propositions to that end.
The issues are dated May 8,... See More
The 'Gag Rule' of 1836 - including the infamous, "Am I gagged?", by John Quincy Adams…
Item #714541
May 26, 1836
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., May 26 and 28, 1836 (a two-issue set)
The May 26th issue has much of the contentious dialogue in The House of Representatives regarding the resolution which, if passed, would prevent any discussion in the chamber on the subject of slavery. The 3rd column of page three has mention of John Quincy Adams’ declaration: "Am I gagged?" This is ... See More
Famous letter from Lincoln to Greeley...
Item #691078
August 25, 1862
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, August 25, 1862
* Famous Abraham Lincoln letter
* "A Prayer of Twenty Millions" reply
* Liberal Republican Horace Greeley
The front page contains one of the more famous letters from Abraham Lincoln, being his reply to Horace Greeley's editorial of August 20, "A Prayer of Twenty Millions", which urged emancipation. Lincoln replies in h... See More
New Orleans document for the sale of a woman slave...
Item #701390
March 05, 1849
New Orleans slave sale document: A part-printed, part-handwritten document headed "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. State of Louisiana" for the sale of a slave.
The full text can be seen in the photos, however portions include: "...he does...grant, bargain sell, assign, convey, transfer and deliver...Unto Sean Nontanee...of this city...purchasing for himself, his heir and assigns, a negro... See More
Front page print of Frederick Douglass... Poe's The Raven...
Item #174824
November 24, 1883
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, November 24, 1883 The entire front page is one of the more desirable of the entire 60 year run of this newspaper, being a fine portrait of: "Frederick Douglass", with a related article on him on an inside page.
But there are other nice prints in this issue as well, including a full page: "Autumn Leaves" by Howard Pyle; a print of: "The... See More
Very historic Nast print: "The First Vote" of African-Americans in the reconstructed South...
Item #173146
November 16, 1867
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, Nov. 16, 1867 Historic & significant full front page Thomas Nast illustration: "The First Vote" shows an African-American man voting. During the Reconstruction South voting rights for free Blacks came slowly with obstacles such as poll taxes, literacy requirements, etc. This very historic print shows a proud African-American--with others in line b... See More
"Great Expectations" Collection VI
Item #206678
June 21, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, June 22, 1861 through August 3, 1861. This is a seven-issue set (part 6) of Harper's Weekly containing the Charles Dickens "Great Expectations" in serialization format. The set provides more than a 10% discount over purchasing the issues individually.
This set would look great displayed in one of our 17 inch by 14 inch display cases which can be viewed at www... See More
Lincoln's inauguration...
Item #172868
March 18, 1865
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, March 18, 1865 The entire front page is taken up with a very nice engraving captioned: "President Lincoln Taking the Oath At His Second Inauguration, March 4, 1865" showing just that. A great display issue as such.
An inside page has an article: "The President's Inaugural" which includes the text of his second inaugural address, which i... See More
News on the John Brown invasion... Capture of a slave ship...
Item #705682
November 15, 1859
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 1859 The front page has an article: "Arrival Of A Captured Slaver" concerns the barque Emily, captured on the coast of Africa: "...This is the fourth slaver taken within six months by the African squadron...".
Also on the front page: "The Harper's Ferry Conspiracy--Close of the Trial and Sentence of Prisoners&qu... See More
A union-occupation newspaper in South Carolina...
Item #701672
January 10, 1863
THE FREE SOUTH, Beaufort, South Carolina, Jan. 10, 1863
* Rare Union occupation publication
On November 7, 1861, the Union Navy seized control of Port Royal Harbor in South Carolina, securing a beachhead for a new kind of journalism--the occupation newspaper. Whereas many of the homegrown South Carolina newspapers defended secession and championed the military victories of the Confede... See More
Robert Smalls leads fellow slaves to freedom... The USS Planter...
President Lincoln repeals General Hunter's order (no. 11), which had emancipated slaves...
Item #712734
May 24, 1862
NEW YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE, May 24, 1862
* General David Hunter order
* Emancipation of slaves
* Abraham Lincoln rebuffs
* Robert Smalls - born in slavery
* Leads fellow slaves to freedom
Page 2 begins with: "Gen. Hunter Overruled". This concerns the controversial situation where Hunter pronounced slaves free in Florida, Georgia & South Carolina, previous to Lincol... See More
The Battle of Gettysburg...
Item #172700
August 08, 1863
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, August 8, 1863 Certainly one of the more desired issues of the Civil War with the nice content on the Battle of Gettysburg. The front page has 2 prints: "Saluting the Old Flag at Port Hudson" and "The Formal Surrender of Port Hudson". Inside a 1/4 pg: "Siege of Vicksburg--Huts on the Hill-side"; a full page has two prints: "Po... See More
President Lincoln repeals General Hunter's order (no. 11), which had emancipated slaves... Two mentions of Robert Smalls...
Item #712691
May 20, 1862
THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 20, 1862
* General David Hunter's Emancipation order
* Abraham Lincoln rebuffs (nullifies)
* Robert Smalls & companions to be compensated
Page one has, "Gen. Hunter's Order Repudiated by the President," followed by, "He Pronounces it Void and of No Effect," and, "The Policy of the Administration Reiterated." The pronou... See More
Jourdon Anderson's letter to his former slave master
Item #703078
March 07, 1865
(for reference only - item does not exist) SACRAMENTO DAILY UNION, California, Sep. 23, 1865 Jourdon Anderson's letter to his former slave master
Jourdon Anderson's letter to his former slave master
Terrific issue on the Jefferson/Callender situation...
Item #718089
October 26, 1802
AURORA GENERAL ADVERTISER, Frankford, Oct. 26, 1802
* President Thomas Jefferson
* James Callender squabble
Note that this issue was published in nearby Frankford to escape the Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia.
Page 2 begins with a very lengthy editorial which includes: "The business of the late election had diverted our attention from various objects, and the execrable wretch Ca... See More
"Great Expectations" Collection V...
Item #206675
May 11, 1861
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, May 11, 1861 through June 15, 1861. This is a six-issue set (part 5) of Harper's Weekly containing the Charles Dickens "Great Expectations" in serialization format. The set provides more than a 10% discount over purchasing the issues individually.
This set would look great displayed in one of our 17 inch by 14 inch display cases which can be viewed ... See More
One of the most desired baseball prints...
Item #175312
July 28, 1888
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, July 28, 1888 The entire front page is taken up with one of the best 19th century baseball prints to be found, showing a batter, catcher & umpire captioned: "A Ball Or A Strike--Which?" drawn by T. de Thurstrup.
There are also many other prints within this issue including a fullpg. with 6 vignettes: "View of Town & Country in Honduras... See More
Union occupation newspaper from Wilmington, North Carolina...
Item #701895
March 04, 1865
THE HERALD OF THE UNION, Wilmington, North Carolina, March 4, 1865
* Rare Union occupation publication
* Final weeks of the American Civil War
* Last Atlantic port of the Confederacy
This is a Union occupation newspaper, as Wilmington fell to the Yankee forces in February, 1865, being the last Atlantic port to fall to the Northern forces. This is the volume 1, number 5 issue. ... See More
Thomas Nast's first Republican elephant print... Homer print...
Item #173876
November 07, 1874
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, Nov. 7, 1874 The full front page is a Thomas Nast political cartoon: "A Tammany Rat", but certainly the most significant print in this issue is another full page Thomas Nast political cartoon titled: 'The 3rd term Panic' which shows the Republican elephant for the first time. Thomas Nast was the creator of both the Republican elephant and the ... See More
Great on the Thomas Sims fugitive slave case in Boston...
Item #696676
May 10, 1851
GLEASON'S PICTORIAL DRAWING-ROOM COMPANION, Boston, May 10, 1851
* Thomas Sims - Negro
* Fugitive slave case
This was perhaps America's first successful illustrated newspaper, existing from 1851 thru 1859. It set the format for other more successful titles to emulate, most notably Frank Leslie's Illustrated (1855) and Harper's Weekly (1857). All were modeled after the... See More
Robert Smalls and The USS Planter...
Lincoln repeals Hunter's controversial order emancipating slaves...
Item #712776
May 20, 1862
NEW YORK WORLD, May 20, 1862
* General David Hunter's Emancipation order
* Abraham Lincoln rebuffs (nullifies)
* Robert Smalls & companions to be compensated
The front page begins with column heads: "PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION" "Gen. Hunter's Proclamation Void" "The Power of Declaring Slaves Free Belongs to the President" "An Appeal To... See More
Frederick Douglass's "Colored Men's Rights in This Republic"...
Item #719141
May 15, 1857
NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE, May 15, 1857 Page 6 has: "AMERICAN ABOLITION SOCIETY", which provides details of the gathering for their 41st anniversary. Most notable is the complete text of what is now identified as Frederick Douglass's "Colored Men's Rights in This Republic".
Also present are Henry Ward Beecher's anti-slavery-themed reply to The Independent ... See More
Harriet Tubman's historic Combahee River Raid frees 750 slaves...
Item #172690
July 04, 1863
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, July 4, 1863 Half of the front page is taken up with a somber print: "Execution, by Hanging, of Two Rebel Spies, Williams and Peters, In the Army of the Cumberland" with text as well.
The best print in this issue is the half page: "Raid of Second South Carolina Volunteers (Col. Montgomery) Among the Rice Plantations on the Combahee, S.C."&n... See More
Robert E. Lee portrait on the front page...
Item #172794
July 02, 1864
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, July 2, 1864 Certainly the prime content in this issue is the very nice front page illustration of: "The Rebel General Robert Edmund Lee" with a short biography on him as well.
Other prints include a fullpg. of 5 scenes in Georgia including Resaca, Woodlands, Kingston & Adairsville. Another page shows: "Fighting Johnny Logan" and "... See More
"Great Expectations" Collection I
Item #206663
November 24, 1860
Harper's Weekly, November 24, 1860 through December 29, 1860. This is a six-issue set (part 1) of Harper's Weekly containing the Charles Dickens "Great Expectations" in serialization format. The set provides more than a 10% discount over purchasing the issues individually.
This set would look great displayed in one of our 17 inch by 14 inch display cases which can be viewed a... See More
Detailed review of Les Misérables...
First printing of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Chiefly About War Matters"...
Item #652426
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, (Boston), July, 1863 * Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Chiefly About War Matters"
* an original, contemporary printing - 1st appearance
signed with the pen name "A Peaceable Man"
* same year review of Victor Hugo's, "Les Misérables"
When one thinks of Nathaniel Hawthorne, most minds are rightfully immediately drawn to his mas... See More
A Tory newspaper from the Revolutionary War...
Item #705740
February 14, 1778
THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER OR THE PHILADELPHIA MARKET-DAY ADVERTISER, February 14, 1778 This was a strongly Tory (supportive of the British cause) newspaper which began in 1775 and closed shop in May of 1778 when the British evacuated Philadelphia.
The entire front page is taken up with ads, one of which is for the printing of: "Common Sense".
Page 2 has numerous reports which relat... See More
First report on John Brown's raid upon Harper's Ferry...
Item #689591
October 18, 1859
DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 1859
* John Brown's insurrection - invasion - raid
* Harpers Ferry WV West Virginia - 1st report
Page 3 has the first report of the raid upon Harper's Ferry by John Brown and his cohorts, headed: "Serious Disturbances At Harper's Ferry".
It reads like a first report. It begins: "Information of a somew... See More
Emancipation Proclamation & battle of Antietam...
Item #172612
October 04, 1862
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, October 4, 1862 Page 3 contains the complete and historically significant printing of the Emancipation Proclamation signed in type by the President: Abraham Lincoln, & headed: "The Abolition of Slavery--A Proclamation". There is also a nice page 2 editorial concerning the Emancipation Proclamation headed: "Slavery Practically Abolished" ... See More
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P.O. Box 3636
Williamsport, PA 17701
Phone: 1-570-326-1045
E-mail: info@rarenewspapers.com
Hours
Weekdays, 7:30 - 4 (ET)
Full Contact Information
