Library Company of Philadelphia
This early biography of Harriet Tubman emphasizes her role as a Civil War spy. The image of Tubman holding a rifle with tents in the background clearly indicates her militancy and active role in the Civil War. This biography is particularly remarkable because women’s efforts, and more especially black women’s efforts, often go unrecognized in accounts of the Civil War. Even the inscription on the title page emphasizes Tubman’s importance in the war as being “commended by eminent officers for her services as a spy during the late rebellion.”
-Lydia Shaw, Franklin & Marshall Class of 2022
This item and more will be featured in the exhibition Women Get Things Done, opening soon at the Library Company of Philadelphia!
Sarah H. Bradford, Scenes
in the Life of Harriet Tubman (Auburn: W.J. Moses, 1869).
#OnThisDay in 1854, Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” was published. The book details Thoreau’s experience living in isolation for two years in Concord, Massachusetts. The influential text takes on new meaning when we consider the new way of life brought about by the pandemic.
“Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862,” ca. 1870. From the American Celebrities Album.
The Wissahickon Boys Club was founded shortly after the Civil War for children of formerly enslaved and domestic African Americans in Germantown. The Club was the only one of its kind to serve African Americans.
Not really sure how it’s the end of July already, but we’re trying to stay cool about it. Wishing you all a pleasant weekend!
Image from Frank Leslie’s Lady’s Magazine, 1874.
This bible belonged to Mary Sandwith, who also likely crafted the embroidered chemise. The bible itself is bound in calf and covered with canvas stitched with a vibrant bargello or flame stitch pattern. Mary’s name is stitched on the spine, along with the date, 1743, her eleventh year. Mary was the sister of Elizabeth Drinker, the famous diarist. A similar chemise covers Elizabeth’s bible, which is in the collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Though we can’t imagine a crowd like this during a pandemic, perhaps the most notable part of this image is exactly how many women it portrays: an estimated 3,000 women attended this meeting at the Cooper Institute on April 29, 1861, to form the Women’s Central Association of Relief. In fact, the viewer can only see a few men amidst the crowd: one in the left corner, one in the right corner, and one speaking at the podium. The image shows the massive numbers of women who wished to aid the Union efforts at the outbreak of the Civil War. So many are crowded into the hall that the artist resorted to drawing mere circles to portray those furthest away. These women, like many others during the 1860s and 1870s, saw an opportunity for helping others.
-Lydia Shaw, Franklin & Marshall Class of 2022
This item and more will be featured in the exhibition Women Get Things Done, opening soon at the Library Company of Philadelphia!
Illustration from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper (May 16, 1861).
#OnThisDay in 1868, Secretary of State William Seward issued an official proclamation which certified the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Amendment guaranteed citizenship for “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved African Americans. It was also one of three Reconstruction Amendments which sought to codify equal rights for African Americans.
This engraving is a ticket for to the “Grand Mass Demonstration in favor of the Centennial Commemoration of American Independence, February 22, 1873” at the Academy of Music. The image contains scenes contrasting life in Philadelphia in 1776 with life in 1876, after the abolition of slavery.
Though he traveled widely and took thousands of photographs, Marriott C. Morris very rarely photographed African American subjects. Pictured here are David Murray and his unnamed wife. Murray worked as the Morris family’s waiter during their visit to Haverford College in 1885.
Here’s a fine finispiece to help you usher in what will hopefully be a fine weekend. And in the rare book world fine isn’t just fine, it’s even better than ‘very good.’
Niccolò Machiavelli. Tutte le opere di Niccolò Machiavell. (London, 1747.)
A former owner of this little volume lovingly crafted this book cover for it, illustrated and colored by hand. The image matches the chromolithograph frontispiece found inside.
Definitely a step up from the brown bag covers we used to put on our school books.
Hannah J. Woodman. Sibylline verses; or, the mirror of fate. (Boston: Abel Tompkins, 1846)