Spotlight Exhibit Series

African American History at the Newberry
January 29 – March 12, 2005

African American History at the Newberry highlighted a variety of Newberry sources relating to African American history from the Colonial period to the early 20th century. Corresponding with its extensive holdings in American history, the Newberry has a strong collection of African American history and culture material. The collections include over 2,000 books, pamphlets, and broadsides relating to the anti-slavery movement, in addition to many published slave narratives.

Object List

Anti-slavery hymns for the New England Anti-slavery Convention. [Boston], 1859.
Newberry Library Case 6A 196

Benezet, Anthony. Observations on the inslaving, importing, and purchasing of Negroes ... Germantown, 1760.
Newberry Library Case H577.088 1771

Chicago Commission on Race Relations. The Negro in Chicago; a study of race relations and a race riot. Chicago, 1922.
Newberry Library F89621.N343

Description of a Slave Ship. Printed by James Phillips. London, 1789.
Newberry Library Case Broadside 47

Douglass, Frederick. Address by Hon. Frederick Douglass ... on the lessons of the hour ... Baltimore, 1894.
Newberry Library H 5837 .307

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave. Boston, 1845.
Newberry Library Case E5 .D74608

DuBois, W.E.B. The souls of black folk: essays and sketches. Chicago, 1903.
Newberry Library H 5837.244

Gilbert, Olive. Narrative of Sojourner Truth, a northern slave ... Boston, 1850.
Newberry Library Case 5832.603

Lincoln, Abraham. General Orders No. 1 ... A Proclamation. Washington, D.C., 1863.
Newberry Library Ruggles 225

Minutes of the first annual meeting of the Northwestern Freedman's Aid Commission ... Chicago, 1864.
Newberry Library Case H 5837.636

Pemberton, Ebenezer. Heaven the residence of the saints ... Boston, London, 1771. To which is added, A Elegiac poem by Phillis Wheatley.
Newberry Library Case E5 W58365

Proclamation of Emancipation. Lithograph designed and written by W. H. Pratt. Davenport, 1865.
Newberry Library SC2713

Pullman Company timecard for Malcolm Little (Malcolm X).
Newberry Library Pullman Co. Archives 06/02/03 Box 232

The Slave's Friend. Published for the American Anti-Slavery Society by R. G. Williams. New York, 1836-38.
Newberry Library SC2193

South Carolina, York District: the above plat represents a tract or plantation of land containing two hundred & ninety eight acres situate in said state & district in the Indian Land ... Manuscript map surveyed by John Roddy.
Newberry Library Vault drawer MS map2F oG3913 .Y6G46 1840 R6

Washington, Booker T. An autobiography: the story of my life and work. Naperville, 1901.
Newberry Library E5 .W26695

Work, Monroe N. The Negro Year Book: An annual encyclopedia of the Negro, 1921-22. Tuskegee, 1922.
Newberry Library H 5837.615