Details
Creator Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, artist.
Contributor Harris, Dennis, associated name.
Manley, Ira, associated name.
Peterson, Theophilus Beasley, 1821-1890, distributor.
Robinson, Henry R., -1850, publisher.
Title Arrest of the slave George Kirk. [graphic] / C.; T.B. Peterson, agent, 98 Chestnut St. Phila.
Publisher New York : Lith. of H.R. Robinson 142 Nass [sic]
Date 1846
Physical Description 1 print : lithograph ; sheet 30 x 44 cm (11.75 x 17 in.)
Description Cartoon portraying the arrest during the New York case of the freedom seeker George Kirk. Kirk, enslaved by Georgia enslaver Charles Chapman had concealed himself on a Savannah brig traveling to New York City. While docked in New York, Kirk was discovered and beaten before being sheltered at the American Anti-Slavery Society office on Nassau Street. He had taken refuge at the office following his being ordered to be returned to Georgia on a legal technicality after having been previously freed by the court. In response, abolitionists including, lawyers Lois Napoleon and John Jay, editor of the "National Anti-Slavery Standard" Sydney Howard Gay, and sugar refinery proprietor Dennis Harris conceived a plan to secure Kirk's freedom through his concealment and transport from the Nassau Street office in a box addressed to abolitionist Rev. Ira Manley in Essex, New York. Kirk was discovered and arrested during the transport. Kirk was later freed through a legal argument presented by Jay. Depicts a horse-drawn dray labeled "D. Harris" on which Kirk, portrayed in racist caricature, is within a crate. Kirk is being pulled by police from the crate. "Tracts" fly out from the wooden box and its cover marked "Rev. Ira Manley, Essex, New York. This side up with Care" has fallen to the side of the dray. Kirk exclaims "Gorra mighty massa you take away my bref! dis child didn't come into de box hisself! de bobalitionists put him in it!!" White police men reach for him and make comments and threats, including smelling "a rat"; shaking "the life out of (Kirk)"; and the "Carman" having a "rather black job." The white carman, his hands on the reins of the horse and looking back, responds "It ain't anything else." Scene also includes a middle-class Black woman holding a parasol and middle-class Black man, who with a monocle to his eye, exclaims "Ponhona. Here's a game!! while standing near a group of white men abolitionists also witnessing the moment. The frowning abolitionists, including possibly Elias Smith, make comments and observations, including about Kirk being again "in the hands of Philistines"; having to take out "another habeus corpus ... at any expense"; and Manley being disappointed in "not receiving his consignment." Elias Smith procured a writ of habeus corpus for Kirk before his first court appearance.
Is referenced by Weitenkampf, p. 86
Notes Title from item.
Date from copyright statement: Entd according to Act of Congress in the year 1846 by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerk's office of the Distt Court of the U. States, for the southn District of New York.
RVCDC
Biographical / historical note Clay, born in Philadelphia, was a prominent caricaturist, lithographer, and engraver who created the "Life in Philadelphia" series which racistly satirized middle-class African American Philadelphians in the late 1820s and early 1830s.
Subject Kirk, George -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Kirk, George -- Capture & imprisonment.
Abolitionists -- New York.
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Antislavery movements -- New York (State) -- New York.
Carts & wagons -- New York (State) -- New York.
Crates -- New York (State) -- New York.
Enslaved persons -- United States.
Fugitive slaves -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- New York (State) -- New York.
Police -- New York (State) -- New York.
Racism in popular culture.
Enslaved men -- United States.
Freedom seekers -- United States.
African American History.
Philadelphia artists.
Genre Anti-abolition prints -- 1830-1840.
Lithographs -- 1840-1850.
Political cartoons -- 1840-1850.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Political Cartoons - 1846-7W [P.2024.43.1]
Accession number P.2024.43.1