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A chapter from the autobiography of Henry Bibb, a well-known black activist who had escaped from slavery. This text contains descriptions of the life of enslaved persons as well as illustrations.

A Democratic laborer comments on the problem of abolitionism in the North as well as the South, claiming that the emancipation of enslaved people will result in the damaging of white labor rights and opportunities.

In his cartoon, Thomas W. Strong turns southern arguments in favor of slavery against the South. He creates an anti-secessionist message by depicting South Carolina as an enslaved woman (likely a reference to Topsey from Uncle Tom’s Cabin) incapable of making her own decisions.

The newspaper article relays the secondhand story of enslaved people fleeing from a plantation and joining up with Irish laborers in pursuit of “their freedom.” The escaping party was found, and the Irish “abolitionists” were denounced.

These images show the negative effects that slavery had on Africa and African people.

These images show some of the many African Americans who fought or worked for the Union Army in the Civil War.

These images show how different people reacted to the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.

This image group features portraits of Frederick Douglass, Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano, who all learned to read and write while they were enslaved. Each used their gifts to help end slavery.

This is the story of Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first black senator in the United States.