Looking for photo and print collections pertaining to the slave trade, slavery, and abolition? The Photographs and Prints Division of the Schomburg Center offers over 300,000 images which document the history and culture of people of African descent worldwide ranging from mid-eighteenth century graphics to contemporary documentary and art photography.
The following list is an overview of the images in the collection that pertain to slavery, the slave trade, and abolition.
Abolitionists Portraits of abolitionists
Anti-Slavery Movement Artwork, depictions of incidents and views of anti-slavery meetings; Publications and broadsides
Art Reproductions of artwork depicting slavery
Artifacts Views of slave tags, a lock and key, and anti-slavery movements medallions and pins
Auctions and sales Views of slave auctions, slave pens and slaves being taken to auction; Advertisements, broadsides, bills of sale and sales receipts; Advertisements and broadsides
Cartoons 19th century political cartoons supporting and opposing slavery
Emancipation Views of celebrations and freed slaves, and documents, paintings and political cartoons relating to Emancipation
Freeman Cover from the minutes and proceedings of the First Annual Convention of the People of Color, Philadelphia, 1831
Fugitive slaves Views of fugitive slaves and portraits of former fugitive slaves; Broadsides and notices regarding fugitive slaves
Housing Exterior views of slave dwellings
Indentures, insurance policies and inventories of slaves
Labor – Cotton industry Views of slaves gathering and cleaning cotton; Views of cotton mills and cotton being transported
Labor – Domestic Views of domestic workers
Labor – Miscellaneous Views of field workers, miners, drivers, factory laborers, blacksmiths, and dock workers, among others
Labor – Sugar industry Views of field workers and sugar mill workers
Labor – Tobacco industry Views of tobacco workers
Law and legislation Broadsides and publications
Life and customs Views of families, social gatherings and general slave life
Literature Front covers and title pages of books and pamphlets
pertaining to the subject of slavery
Middle Passage Views of African slaves on ships, and diagrams and individual ships
Plantations Exterior views of plantation houses, and views of slaves, mainly at work in the slave quarters
Poetry and music Broadsides, covers of publications and one piece of sheet music
Punishment, torture and branding Views of slaves being branded or punished by flogging; individual victims of flogging; and restraining devices
Rebellions Views of rebellions and an article referring to a rebellion
Ships Views of 19th century sailing vessels, mostly slave ships
Slave census Maps showing distribution of slaves in the Southern States of the United States, 1860
Slave trade – Africa Views of captured Africans being taken to slave markets; abandoned captives left to die; slave traders; and slave markets and trading posts
Slave trade – Caribbean and South America Views of black slaves being brought to and sold in the Caribbean and South America
Slave trade – Non-African Views of enslavement of non-African people
Slaves – Portraits Individual and groups portraits of slaves and former slaves, and a depiction of Margaret Gardner
Underground Railroad Portraits of escaped slaves; views of escaping slaves using the Underground Railroad; exterior views of structures used as safe houses; views a broadside and some correspondence; Original book plates depicting portraits of supporters of the Underground Railroad; views of safe houses; and view of ports and river passages
To view some of these images please see the Digital Collections or visit The Photographs and Prints Division.
Tuesdays and Wednesday 12PM – 6PM and Thursdays – Saturdays 10AM – 6PM