Collections

Three caricature postcards depicting African Americans with stereotypical features and promoting racist views of African Americans, copyrighted 1913 and published by S. Bergman, New York. One postcard depicting a group of African American singers with one elderly gentleman shown sleeping in the front row, copyrighted 1897 and published by Knaffl and Brothers, Knoxville, Tennessee. And a postcard of soldiers lined up for dress parade at the Normal Institute in Hampton, Virginia, published by Louis Kaufmann and sons, Baltimore, Maryland.

Photographs of an African-American family, circa 1880-1960, most likely of Richmond, Virgina. Included are snapshots, studio portraits and photo postcards of family members and also a postcard of the "Barracks of Colored Recruits, Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va." (addressed to Eliza Chatman, Richmond, Va.). Some photos are identified by first names or location. Names include Pearl, Russell, Constance, Berkley, Allen, Beverley Boxyem, Samuel, Mary, James, Horace, Sarah, Mother Booker, Julie, Lester Hall, Joe Bill Williams and Mildred. Locations in addition to Richmond, are Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Tappahannock, Va., Detroit, Michigan, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Pennyslvania. Subjects of photos include visiting relatives, returning from church, several people in military uniform, children playing, post cards, pictures of individuals, studio portraits and family photos.

This collection contains numerous stereograms taken throughout the Jim Crow Era. The stereograms portray the racist attitudes of the time period. Stereograms are an early form of photography which was often used for educational purposes. When a view finder is used to look at the stereograms, the images appear to be three dimensional.

This collection contains images of both African and African American individuals. The subjects photographed include military personnel, men, women, and children. Some individuals were photographed inside of a photographer's studio. The images vary in size and format and range in date from circa 1850s-1945. Each item has a description at the file level.

Letters, 16 March and 21 July 1835, of A. H. Hand, Princeton, New Jersey to his cousin Augustus Cornwall, Catskill, New York, giving advice on being a student and discussing the value of an education. Typescripts available.

The collection contains an unfinished manuscript by A.J. Morrison about Prince Edward County, along with letters, newspaper clippings, and various documents about local history. Dates of materials range from 1754-1975.

Papers, 1872-1901, of Judge A. K. Leake, Goochland County, Va. Many concern the settlement of the estate of Henry Timberlake and the lawsuit, Timberlake v. Timberlake. Includes two insurance policies, 1899-1900, on property in East Leake, Va.