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| "Evangelic Measure." 1850-1912. Published between 1850 and 1912, this image shows a well-dressed assembly of African Americans in chuch. Probably depicts a chuch meeting after the Civil War, or else a meeting in a nothern community of free blacks prior to the war. The group is of mixed ages and gender, and the preacher has the rapt attention of the group. The smiles on the faces of the women and some of the younger people suggests that this is no fire-and-brimstone sermon being preached. Library of Congress. |
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| "Black Man Reading Newspaper By Candlelight" Library of Congress. 1863. In this image, a dignified, elderly black man is reading a newspaper with the headline "Presidential Proclamation, Slavery." The headline refers to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation issued in January 1863. The crude furnishings suggest that the man is poor and probably a formerly enslaved person, but his well-kept clothes and the tidy look of the place, plus his glasses, indicate that he is educated and determined. The look on his face indicates pride and joy in reading the news. What other messages are conveyed by the artist? Library of Congress. |
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| "Pignapoke Receives a Shock." 1885. This is a sarcastic stab poking fun at free blacks after the Civil War. Published in 1885,it makes fun of the airs assumed by some formerly enslaved people who had prospered enough in freedom to own nice clothes and riding animals.The picture is typical of how whites looked upon the aspirations of blacks in the small towns of the South. Library of Congress. |
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| "The Freedman's Bureau! An Agency To Keep The Negro In Idleness...." 1866. This racist poster mocks the agency created by Republicans in Congress to assist black (and white refugees) in the South adjust to freedom in the days after the Civil War. Bitterly attacked by Democrats and opposed by Presdient Andrew Johnson, the Bureau was typically depicted as favoring lazy blacks over hard-working whites. In return for their support, Republicans gave (according to the poster) idle blacks rum and whiskey, white women, sugar plums, fish balls, clams, stews, and pies. It also shows a table comparing funds allocated for black compared to monies allocated for Civil War veterans. Library of Congress. |
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| "The Constitutional Amendment." 1866. This racist poster was issued by the Democratic opponents of the Pennsylvannia Republican candidate for governor, John White Geary. Republicans supported a constitutional amendment giving the vote to black males. The picture shows unruly and roughly-dressed blacks shoving whites aside to get into the door marked "Polls." The poster lists the names of Republican politicians supporting suffrage for blacks, making the point that the black vote will be used against working-class whites. Library of Congress. |
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| "The Cortet." 1882. This image of black children playing musical instruments and singing depicts some of the stereotypical views of blacks popular before the Civil War. The fact, however, that the young girl is reading from the song sheet indicates the progress black children made from the time of slavery in the eye of the artist. Do you think this is a sweet picture? What are the negative and positive images presented. Notice the clothes and facial expressions. Library of Congress |
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