NEGRO
“THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT… HAS BEEN MADE SUBJECT OF SO MUCH EXCITEMENT SO AS TO SHUT OUT OF PUBLIC VIEW ALL OTHER QUESTIONS… AND HAS CONTRIVED TO TINGE ALL LEGISLATION WITH THE BLACK DEFILEMENT….”
MORSE, SAMUEL F.B. (1791-1872). American artist and inventor of the electric telegraph and Morse code. Superb Autograph Letter Signed, “Samuel F.B. Morse”. Two full pages, quarto. Poughkeepsie, New York, November 1, 1854.
LANGSTON HUGHES INSCRIBES HIS: SIMPLE STAKES A CLAIM FOR DANISH PRIME MINISTER JENS OTTO KRAG
HUGHES, LANGSTON (1902-1967) American poet, novelist, playwright, and columnist. His book: Simple Stakes a Claim. Boldly Inscribed and Signed on front free-endpaper.
“THE ELECTIONS IN THE STATES HAVE GONE AS WAS FEARED,…I AM UNABLE TO SEE THE GOOD WHICH WE USUALLY STRIVE TO FIND IN WHATEVER IS IRREVOCABLE” — “IT IS OFTEN EASIER TO PRONOUNCE A THING WRONG IN THE BEGINNING THAN TO SHOW THAT ITS REMOVAL WOULD BE FOR THE PERMANENT GOOD.”
DAVIS, JEFFERSON. (1808-89). First and only president of the Confederate States of America (1861-1865). Revealing Partial Autograph Letter Signed, “J.D.” One full page, octavo. No place, no date. Fine condition.
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ~~ HIS LECTURING SCHEDULE FOR 1905
WASHINGTON, BOOKER T. (1856-1915) Black American educator. Typed Letter Signed, “Booker T. Washington”, on his name imprinted Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute/ For the training of Colored Young Men and Women letterhead. One full page, quarto. Tuskegee, Alabama, March 31, 1905.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ACCEPTS A COPY OF HEAVY WEIGHT FIGHTER FLOYD PATTERSON’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
ROOSEVELT, ELEANOR. (1884-1962). First Lady. Typed Letter Signed, “Eleanor Roosevelt”, on her name-imprinted stationery. One page, large octavo. New York, May 4, 1962.
1850 “THE SLAVERY QUESTION ABSORBS EVERYTHING STILL”
JOHNSON, ANDREW. (1808-75). Seventeenth President of the United States (1865-9). Good and rather scarce, Autograph Letter Signed, “Andrew Johnson” written during the period of extreme political debate in the United States. 1 1/2 pages, quarto. “House of Rep[resentative]s”, May 29, 1850.
“I HAVE MADE MORE SPEECHES FOR OUR IDEAS OF EQUAL RIGHTS IN MORE STATES AND TO MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY MAN IN THIS COUNTRY” – HENRY WILSON
WILSON, HENRY (1812-1875). Vice President of the United States under U.S. Grant, and a Senator from Massachusetts known for his strong anti-slavery positions; devoted himself to the destruction of ‘Slave Power’ [the political power of the slave-owning class]; authored a bill that outlawed slavery in Washington, D.C. and was responsible for incorporating African Americans in the Union Civil War effort. Superb Autograph Letter Signed, “H. Wilson.” Four very full pages, quarto. Natick, [Massachusetts]. October 7, 1870.