RARE 1863 BLACK WHITE SLAVE PHOTO CIVIL WAR ABOLITION PROPAGANDA SQUARE CORNERS

CARTE DE VISITE (CDV) with text at bottom of mount, on front: WHITE AND BLACK SLAVES FROM NEW ORLEANS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY KIMBALL, 477 BROADWAY, N. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1863, by P. BACON, in the Clerk's Office of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. TEXT ON BACK : The nett proceeds from the sale of these photographs will be devoted exclusively to the education of colored people in the Department of the Gulf, now under the command of Maj. INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CDV AND THE SUBJECTS: In December 1863, Colonel George Hanks of the 18th Infantry, Corps d'Afrique (a Union corps composed entirely of African-Americans), accompanied eight emancipated slaves from New Orleans to New York and Philadelphia expressly to visit photographic studios. One group portrait, several cartes de visite of pairs of students, and numerous portraits of each student were made. (source: Metropolitan Museum of Art).

Biographies of these emancipated slaves were published in Harper's Weekly on January 30, 1864. Here is the information, from that publication, on the 3 people in this CDV. Mary Johnson was cook in her masters family in New Orleans.

On her left arm are scars of three cuts given to her by her mistress with a rawhide. On her back are scars of more than fifty cuts given by her master. The occasion was that one morning she was half an hour behind time in bringing up his five oclock cup of coffee. As the Union army approached she ran away from her master, and has since been employed by Colonel Hanks as cook. Isaac White is a black boy of eight years; but none the less intelligent than his whiter companions. He has been in school about seven months, and I venture to say that not one boy in fifty would have made as much improvement in that space of time. Augusta Boujey is nine years old. Her mother, who is almost white, was owned by her half-brother, named Solamon, who still retains two of her children. SIZE: Approximately 4 x 2 3/8 inches. CONDITION: MOUNT - Not trimmed!

From the front, corners are square, which is a big plus. However, 3 of the corners do have light wear, and on the back, wear is apparent at lower right corner as well as along bottom edge.

Front has some soiling at bottom. Back has a few spots and light soiling. Photo - Soiling and light foxing, including a bit on Mary's bandana and forehead.

Excellent content - this is a rare photograph of historical significance. The item "RARE 1863 BLACK WHITE SLAVE PHOTO CIVIL WAR ABOLITION PROPAGANDA SQUARE CORNERS" is in sale since Friday, March 04, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Photographic Images\Vintage & Antique (Pre-1940)\CDVs".

The seller is "genest" and is located in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.