This collection includes historical materials or references to or descriptions of historical materials that may be considered offensive or harmful. Historical records are evidence of the time in which they were created and often contain language and images that are racist, homophobic, sexist, ableist, or otherwise derogatory and insensitive. The Library Company takes responsibility for these materials and their importance for the study of the past seriously. The Library does not endorse the views expressed in these materials.

If you encounter language in this digitized collection, or elsewhere that you find offensive or harmful, or if you have questions about the statement above or about our work, we welcome your feedback. A full statement and feedback form where you can alert us of potentially harmful material is available here.

The Race and Visual Culture Digital Collection contains historical visual material and popular art works, often racist in content, that pertain to the visual culture of race and its social, cultural, and historical complexities and biases. The collection, in correlation with the African American History Graphics Digital Collection, includes over 1,600 images and descriptions of visual material that depict or reference the BIPOC community between the 18th and 20th centuries. The sub collections contained within are arranged by date spans based on the creation date of the item. The supplied titles, descriptions, and subject headings were reviewed, revised, and remediated to include anti-racist language as part of a 2021-2022 remediation cataloging project of our African American History Graphics Collection. Many records still include legacy Library of Congress Subject Headings, which conform to national and institutional cataloging standards that are under review for their continued public use in our catalogs. The collection was first published in 2023.

Pages

[African American man minstrel playing the flute] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature of an African American man minstrel playing the flute. Shows the African American man minstrel portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a hat; a ruffled, white shirt with an oversized collar; a plaid jacket with tails; pants with a black stripe, and black shoes. He sits on a wooden stool and blows on the flute, which he holds up to his mouth in both hands. In front of him is a music stand with sheet music on it., Title devised by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Printed in red ink., Text stamped on recto: No. 478, 4 designs, price $1.55 per 1000., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man minstrel playing the flute] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man minstrel playing the flute. Shows the full-length portrait of the man attired in a brown hat, a white collared shirt with red polka dots, a blue jacket with green plaid cuffs, green plaid pants, and red and black shoes. He smiles at the viewer as he holds a flute in both of his hands., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man minstrel playing the violin] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man minstrel playing the violin. Shows the full-length portrait of the man attired in a black top hat, a white collared shirt, a blue jacket with red lapels and tails, blue pants, and black shoes. He plays the violin, resting it underneath his chin, and sweeps the bow over the strings with this right hand., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man on a mule-drawn plow] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature of an African American man on mule-drawn plow. Shows the African American man, attired in a hat and a blue, plaid jacket and pants, sitting on top of a plow. He holds the lever to the plow in his right hand and the reins to the mule pulling the plow in his left hand. The mule is kicking its back legs into the air because three pigs are running around it. Trees are visible in the background., Title devised by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Series number printed on recto: 468., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man playing the cello] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature of an African American man minstrel playing the cello. Shows the African American man minstrel, attired in a white collared shirt, a striped jacket, polka-dotted pants, and shoes, sitting on a wooden stool and playing the cello. He smiles at the viewer as he picks the strings near the neck of the instrument with his left hand and runs a bow along the strings at the lower body of it with his right hand. In the background behind his head is an open book of sheet music., Title devised by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Printed in blue ink., Text stamped on recto: No. 478, 4 designs, price $1.55 per 1000., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man playing the triangle] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man playing the triangle. Shows the man, attired in a gray top hat with a blue band, a gray coat with a red collar, white and red striped pants, blue socks, and black shoes, straddling a wooden chair backwards. He smiles at the viewer as he plays the triangle., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man pulling a donkey on a rope] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man pulling a donkey on a rope. Shows the man in the left attired in a black hat, a white collared shirt, a blue jacket, white pants, and black shoes. He strains forward as he attempts to pull the donkey on a rope, which he holds over his right shoulder and in his right hand. He looks behind him with an open and downturned mouth. He also carries a stick in his left hand. The gray donkey pulls back against the rope with its mouth open., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man riding a donkey] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man riding a donkey. Shows the man, attired in a brown hat; a white collared shirt; a red tie; a brown checkered waistcoat, jacket, and pants; and black shoes, sitting on a saddle riding a donkey. He carries a whip in his left hand and holds his hat down on his head with his right hand. His eyes and his mouth are opened wide as the gray donkey runs with all four of its legs off of the ground., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man sailor] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man sailor. Shows the bust-length portrait of the man smiling and looking to the right. He is attired in a straw hat with a blue band and a blue sailor’s outfit with a black bowtie., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man singing from sheet music] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man singing from sheet music. Shows the full-length portrait of the man attired in a white collared shirt, a green bowtie, a brown jacket with tails, white pants with blue stripes, and brown shoes. Shows the full-length portrait of the man standing and singing. He raises his right hand up and holds sheet music in his left hand. On the ground behind him is a black top hat turned upside down., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret and Linda G. Mitchell.
[African American man smiling and carrying a watermelon] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man smiling and carrying a watermelon. Shows the full-length portrait of the man portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a white collared shirt with blue stripes, a yellow waistcoat, a red jacket with tails, white pants with blue stripes, and yellow and blue shoes with red buttons. He smiles with his mouth opened wide and carries a watermelon in both hands that he holds in front of him., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Duplicate copy [P.2017.95.300]., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man smiling and carrying a watermelon] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man smiling and carrying a watermelon. Shows the full-length portrait of the man portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a white collared shirt with blue stripes, a yellow waistcoat, a red jacket with tails, white pants with blue stripes, and yellow and blue shoes with red buttons. He smiles with his mouth opened wide and carries a watermelon in both hands that he holds in front of him., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Duplicate copy [P.2017.95.299]., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man sticking his head through a sheet of paper] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature an African American man portrayed with exaggerated features sticking his head through a large piece of paper. Shows the African American man, attired in a white apron, plaid pants, and black shoes, standing with his hands at his sides. He smiles at the viewer as his oversized head has burst through a sheet of paper. The torn pieces of paper surround his head., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man swimming attired in red shorts] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of two African American men swimming. Shows the African American man, attired in red shorts, standing in knee-high water and bending over with his right arm outstretched. In the left, an African American man has dived into the water head first. His legs and two hands protrude out of the water. In the background are some wooden boards nailed together. Trees and fronds grow up out of the water., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man tipping his hat and carrying a parasol] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American man tipping his hat and carrying a parasol. Shows the full-length portrait of the man standing and attired in a brown top hat, a white collared shirt, a red bowtie, a white waistcoat, a gold pocket watch chain, a blue jacket with tails, white pants with gold polka dots, and black shoes. He smiles and looks at the viewer as he tips his hat with his right hand. He carries an open, multi-colored parasol edged in white lace in his left hand., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American man with a basket of produce and carrying a dead duck] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature of an older African American man, possibly a peddler, carrying a dead duck and a basket of produce. The man is balding and has tufts of white hair on the sides of his head and is attired in plaid pants, a collared shirt, a collared jacket, and a plaid scarf tied around his neck. He holds a dead duck by the legs in his left hand. Around his left shoulder, he carries a straw handled basket, which has the leaves of a vegetable sticking out of it. Behind him in the background is a shelf that has a bottle and a glass on it., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Printed in red ink., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman at the window with a white cloth on a clothesline] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature of an African American woman at the window with a white cloth on a clothesline. Shows the African American woman portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a red, patterned head kerchief; a blue and red shawl; and a blue shirt. She leans her elbows on the sill of the open window and rests her head in her hands as she looks directly at the viewer. Outside of the window is a white cloth hung with clothespins on a clothesline. The exterior of the building is red brick., Title devised by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman being courted by an African American man suitor as a dog bites his pants] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting caricatures of an African American woman being courted by an African American man suitor as a dog bites his pants. In the left, the African American woman, attired in a straw hat decorated with a green ribbon and bow; gold hoop earrings; a ruffled, blue-checked dress with white sleeves and blue polka dots; and white shoes, stands with her back to the suitor. She carries a red book in her left hand and places her index finger on her right hand to her lips as she looks pensively down at the suitor. In the right, the barefooted, African American man, attired in a white top hat decorated with a black band, a white shirt with an oversized collar, a red bowtie, and yellow overalls with red stripes and suspenders, kneels as he looks up at the woman with his hands out. A small, white and brown dog with a brown collar bites and pulls at the seat of the man’s pants., Title devised by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman dancing] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a caricature an African American woman dancing. Shows the woman portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a red hat decorated with flowers, gold bracelets, a dress composed of a yellow, blue, and white pattern with a red and black sash and flowers at the waist, orange stockings, and yellow shoes. She holds her skirt up with her hands and lifts her right leg up in a dance step., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman on a balcony talking on a tin can telephone to an African American man minstrel] [graphic].
Die-cut trade card specimen shaped like a top hat and depicting racist caricatures of an African American woman on a balcony talking on a tin can telephone to an African American man minstrel. Shows the African American woman, attired in a yellow dress, leaning over the balcony of a palatial building, while holding a tin can telephone on a string to her right ear. On the ground, the African American man minstrel is portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a white top hat with a black band, a white collared shirt, a black bowtie, a white waistcoat, a black jacket with tails, red and white striped pants, and black shoes. He stands holding the other end of the tin can telephone to his right ear. A banjo lies at his feet., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman playing the harp] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American woman playing the harp. Shows the woman attired in a white headband with her hair tied atop her head, a yellow dress with a white collar and decorated with blue ribbons, red earrings, green gloves, and blue dress shoes. She is seated and smiles as her fingers pluck the strings of the harp., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman with a cat] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African American woman with a cat. Shows the bust-length portrait of a young African American woman with a red flower in her hair and attired in gold hoop earrings, a gold ring, and a brown, long-sleeved dress with white cuffs and a white, lace collar. She looks at the viewer with her right hand on her chest. A white cat is perched on her right shoulder. In the foreground and right background are pink flowers and long, green leaves., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African American woman with gold earrings] [graphic].
Circular shaped scrap depicting a racist caricature an African American woman with gold earrings. Shows the bust-length portrait of the woman facing to the right. She is attired in an orange and red striped shirt with a white collared shirt underneath it, a gold pin or button in the center of the collar, and gold hoop earrings., Title supplied from cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African Americans picking cotton with a cotton compress] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting African Americans picking cotton on a plantation. In the left foreground, shows an African American man, attired in a hat, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and shoes, carrying a basket on his back filled with cotton. In the right, two African American children sit on the ground and fill a basket with cotton. In the background, is a large, wooden compress or cotton press. An African American man, with a basket of cotton at his feet, puts cotton into the compress. Another man stands in the right of the stairs leading to the compress with a basket of cotton. In the right background is a building and two women crouching on the ground and another man standing. In the top of the card is an additional illustration depicting a pine tree falling over. In the foreground is a bird on a branch, and a house is visible in the background., Title supplied by cataloger., Publication information and date from the copyright statement: Copyright by Robinson Eng. Co. Boston U.S.A. 1881., Gift of David Doret.
[African man attired in a gold head band] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African man with a gold head band. Shows the bust-length portrait of the man as he looks at the viewer with a serious expression. He is attired in a white shirt with a gold necklace and has bob-length hair with half of it pulled up on top of his head and held in place by a gold band., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African man attired in a gold head band decorated with tails and feathers] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African man attired in a gold head band decorated with tails and feathers. Shows the bust-length portrait of the man attired in a gold head band decorated with green and orange feathers and two animal tails on either side. He also is attired in a gold earring in his right ear, a necklace made of teeth, and a fur collar., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African man attired in a headdress] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African man attired in a headdress. Shows the bust-length portrait of the man as he looks to the right with a serious expression. He is portrayed with exaggerated features and is attired in an orange and red headdress that wraps around his forehead in a band. The headdress is decorated with glass or crystal beads in the center of his forehead and hanging down from the band on red and yellow strips. He also is attired in a gold necklace., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African man fanning a white woman in a hammock] [graphic].
Racist, trade card specimen depicting a white woman in a hammock being fanned by a caricature of an African man. In the center, shows the blond-haired, white woman attired in a red headband, a blue dress, and yellow shoes, lying in a hammock. In the left, an African woman, attired in a head kerchief, a necklace, a white shirt, and a red skirt, serves a tray of food to the woman. The white woman leans over and grabs a piece of food from the tray with her right hand and has a butterfly on her left hand. In the right, an African man, attired in hoop earrings and a red and white sarong, fans the woman with a feathered fan on a long pole. In the right foreground, another African man attired in a red and white sarong, sits on steps leading to the hammock and fills a basket with coconuts. In the left are a parrot, several stacked boxes with pineapples on top, and two potted plants. In the right, a monkey sits holding a coconut. In the background is a water fountain, a statue of a woman carrying a vase on a pedestal, and palm and coconut trees. Behind the hammock is the roof of a building with a yellow curtain hanging down., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[African man with a gold earring] [graphic].
Scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African man with a gold earring. Shows the bust-length portrait of the man as he looks at the viewer with a serious expression. He is portrayed with exaggerated features and attired in a gold, hoop earring in his right ear. A blue and white shirt collar is also visible., Title supplied from cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
[An African woman carrying an infant, an African man carrying bones, and an African woman carrying a scepter dancing] [graphic].
Die-cut scrap depicting a racist caricature of an African woman carrying an infant, an African man carrying bones, and an African woman carrying a scepter dancing. Shows the bare-breasted African woman, in the left, attired in a red headband, gold hoop earrings, a gold necklace, gold bracelets and armlets, a pink, blue, and white striped skirt, and pink shoes, smiling as she looks at the viewer. She carries a green and red umbrella in her right hand. Her left hand reaches to the smiling infant, wrapped in a gold cloth, on her back. In the center is the barefooted African man, attired in gold hoop earrings, gold bracelets and armlets, a gold necklace, a red feather in his hair, yellow and orange striped shorts, and gold anklets, carrying bones in each hand. His left leg is lifted up in a dance step as he waves his arms over his head. He opens his eyes and mouth wide as he looks at the viewer. In the right, the bare-breasted, barefooted African woman has her hair tied back with orange ribbons and is attired in gold hoop earrings, a white lace collar, gold armlets, white and blue bracelets, and a yellow, pink, and white striped skirt. She twists her body in a dance step as she smiles and looks up toward the gold scepter that she carries in her hands., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
Albert & Bayley fine shoes, 449 Broad Street Newark, N.J. [graphic].
Trade card promoting Albert & Bayley shoes and depicting a racist caricature of an African American boy pushing a wheelbarrow on a cobblestone street. The boy is barefoot and attired in a buttoned shirt with an open collar and the sleeves rolled up, striped shorts, and a hat with a long tassle. The wheelbarrow contains a giant-size pair of boots decorated with an American flag near the pull strap. Albert & Bayley had a shoe store at 449 Broad Steet, Newark, N.J. from 1883 to 1885., Title from item., Name of publisher and date from copyright statement: Copyright by Henry Seifert A.D. 1883., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of advertised business., Gift of David Doret.
And he got! [graphic].
Racist trade card specimen depicting a scene of barefooted, African American men knocked about from a kicking mule in the middle of a field. In the center, a mule equipped with a saddle and reins, kicks its back feet into the air, above a wooden board lying on the ground. In the right, a man attired in a red shirt and white and blue checked pants, tumbles onto his back and with his legs in the air. Near him a man attired in yellow pants with red polka dots and an orange, checked shirt, runs away. In the left, a man attired in yellow pants and an orange shirt falls to the ground, head first and upside down. In the lower left, the lower leg and bare foot of a person attired in red checked pants and running away is visible. In the background, a man with a hat and checked red shirt stands with both arms up in the air in alarm. Two figures gathering crops are also visible in the distance., Title from item., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
"Ariosa" Coffee. One gleam of consolation. From "Judge" by permission [graphic].
Trade card promoting Arbuckle's Ariosa Coffee. Depicts a racist caricature originally published in the satirical periodical “Judge” of an older African American woman and older, African American Deacon in conversation. The figures are portrayed with exaggerated facial features and speaking in the vernacular. They stand across from each other in a home setting. "Mrs. Johnson" is attired in a attired in a yellow apron over a black dress, a red vest, and an orange, head kerchief. She has a pipe in her mouth. "Deacon Smith" is attired in a top hat, blue coat over a white collared shirt with red bow tie, brown pants, black shoes, spectacles, and leans on a cane. Depicts Deacon Smith providing comforting words to Mrs. Johnson after she "loose de bigges' chile." The Deacon consoles "Providence am allus mercies in disguise" to which Mrs. Johnston agrees the child was "allus a mon-st'ous eatah." In the background is a steaming kettle on a small stove with a chimney pipe. On the verso is an illustration showing the exterior of the Arbuckle Ariosa Coffee's Brooklyn factory near a dock. View includes men loading train cars, horse-drawn wagons, and ships with cargo. Brothers John and Charlie Arbuckle, Arbuckle Bros., established their factory and warehouse in Brooklyn in 1881 after they invented a machine that roasted, ground, and packaged coffee into bags. Their first national brand was patented under the name Arbuckle’s Ariosa. The company succeeded into the 20th century. Following John’s death in 1912 the company declined and was broken up by the Arbuckle family in the late 1930s., Title from item., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of advertised business., Text printed on recto: Mrs. Johnson (mournfully)--"Ah deacon! It am very hard to loose de bigges' chile I's got." Deacon Smith (consolingly)-- "Dat am true, Mrs. Johnsing; but dese cha'tisements of Providence am allus mercies in disguise." Mrs. Johnson (meditatively)-- "Y-e-e-s; Jeems was allus a mon-st'ous eatah.", Advertising text printed on verso: "Ariosa" Coffee. No. 96. 839,972 pounds roasted daily. The enormous consumption of the popular brand gives proof that for strength, purity and deliciousness it has no equal., Gift of David Doret.
Ask for the "Wenck" perfumes. (Warranted the best.) And take no other. [graphic].
Racist trade card promoting the Wenck Perfume Manufacturing Company and depicting a caricature of an older African American man reading a notice on a country grocery store. Shows the man with a white beard and attired in a yellow brimmed hat, a long-sleeved red shirt, red and yellow pants with patches and held up by suspenders, and black shoes. He bends forward to read the sign on the boarded up, dilapidated store. It states in the vernacular that the Johnsing & Skinner Grocery is out of business and that, “Dem as owes de firm, will settle wid me--dey de firm owes will settle wid Skinner. G.W. Johnsing." The African American man is labeled as a creditor who says in the vernacular, “I’ll hab a hundred and fifty cents on de dollar, or I’ll lick de hul firm.” In the right, the man’s donkey is tied to an orange post behind him. In the background, fenced in fields and trees are visible. George J. Wenck founded the Wenck Perfumes Manufacturing Company in 1872. The Firm manufactured perfume into the 20th century., Title from item., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of the advertised business., Date deduced from the history of the advertised business., Text printed on recto: Johnsing & Skinner Grocery. Notis—De firm of Johnsing & Skinner am resolved. Dem as owes de firm, will settle wid me—dey de firm owes will settle wid Skinner. G.W. Johnsing. Creditor of Johnsing & Skinner—“I’ll hab a hundred and fifty cents on de dollar, or I’ll lick de hul firm.”, Advertising text printed on verso: “Wenck’s” Special Perfumes for the Handkerchief. Opera bouquet. Grand Army Bouquet. Queen Mary Bouquet. “Wenck’s” Toilet Water. Florida Water. Lavender Water. Eau Oraline for the Teeth. Gilt Edge Cologne. The “Wenck” Perfumes M’f’g Co., 36 West 14th Street, N.Y., Gift of David Doret.
Ask your grocer or druggist for Law's Bluing. Each package makes one quart of bluing strong enough for ink, and will blue, bleach, or color very nicely for rag carpets. [graphic].
Racist trade card with a trompe l'oeil and montage aesthetic depicting a dancing African American minstrel. Shows the slim-legged figure composed of the head of a baby and a caricaturized body in minstrel attire of striped pantaloons and a cropped jacket with long tails. The minstrel holds up a circular-shaped sign through which his head pokes out. Tear marks surround the minstrel's face which is slightly turned to the left. Sign also contains advertising text., Title from item., Place of publication inferred from promotional text printed on recto: Sample sent by mail on receipt of price - 15 cts. T.S. Laws, South Butler, N.Y., Gift of David Doret.
Ayer's cathartic pills. (The country doctor) [graphic].
Racist trade card promoting Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co.’s Cathartic Pills and depicting a caricature of an older African American man doctor administering Ayer’s pills to an infant girl on his lap. Shows the African American man with white hair and a white beard, attired in spectacles, a brown hat, a white collared shirt, a brown bow tie, a green waistcoat, a green jacket, green pants, and black shoes. He sits on a wooden chair and holds an infant African American girl, attired in a red dress with yellow polka dots and a white collar, on his lap. In his left hand he carries a box filled with white pills, and in his right hand he holds a single white pill. The infant carries a pamphlet labeled "Ayer’s pills" in her hands. In the left, a barefooted African American boy, attired in a blue and white checked shirt and orange and yellow striped overalls, kneels beside the chair and looks on. On the ground in front of the boy is an open medicine bag labeled “Dr. Bolus” and filled with containers labeled, Ayers. James Cook Ayer (1818-1878) was a successful patent medicine manufacturer who estabished a factory in Lowell, Mass. After his death, J.C. Ayer & Co. continued to manufacture medicine under the management of his brother Frederick Ayer (1822-1918). After Frederick's death, the company continued to operate under the management of family members and professional managers until it left Lowell in 1943., Title from item., Publication information and date from the copyright statement: Copyright, 1883, By J.C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass., Advertising text printed on verso: Ayer’s pills supply the universal want of a safe and reliable purgative medicine. The disorders which they are designed to cure, and for which they prove a sure remedy, are all caused by the derangement of one or more of the digestive and assimilative organs, and include constipation or costiveness, indigestion, dyspepsia, biliousness, heartburn, loss of appetite, flatulency, foul stomach, nausea, dizziness, headache, numbness, jaundice, diarrhoea, dysentery, and disorders of the liver. Eruptions and skin diseases, and piles, when the result of indigestion or constipation, are cured by the use of Ayer’s pills. They are, also, often the best remedy for rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, dropsy, kidney complaints, and other disorders arising from a reduced condition of the system, or the obstruction of its functions. In colds they operate beneficially by opening the pores, removing inflammatory secretions, and allaying fever. Ayer’s pills are made of vegetable ingredients only, and may be administered even to children with perfect safety. They are sugar-coated, and pleasant to take; and for all the purposes of a cathartic medicine they are unequalled. Ayers’ pills are usually put up in oval wooden boxes; but for hot and damp climates, and for export, in sealed glass vials, as above represented. Sold by., Text printed on verso: “The Country Doctor.” A fine Chromo-Lithograph (7 ½ x 13 inches, in “Statuette” style) of this original and popular subject, will be sent, post-paid, to any address, with a set of our elegant Album Cards, on receipt of 10 cents in cash or postage stamps. Address, Dr. J.C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass., Gift of David Doret.
La Bamboula. [graphic].
Racist trade card specimen depicting a caricature of a dancing Black boy. Shows the bare-chested boy, attired in a red, white, and blue feathered headdress and skirt and gold hoop earrings, necklace, bracelets, and anklets. His feet lift off of the ground, and he holds his hands up as he dances and smiles. On the ground beside him is a spiked, wooden club. In the background, green jungle foliage is visible., Title from item., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
Beauty on the street- front view. J.T. F[ritch], jobber & dealer in tobacco cigars, snuff, pipes &c. Main Street, Kurtztown, PA. [graphic].
Racist trade card illustration depicting an African American woman walking her dog. The woman is attired in an elaborate feathered wide-brimmed top hat, a form-fitting jacket with a ruffled collar, a long skirt, petticoat, and boots. The woman holds an umbrella in her right hand and her dog's leash in her left. The dog appears to urinate behind a pole. The woman is depicted with exaggerated features. J.T. Fritch was a businessman based in Kurtztown, Pennsylvania who was trained as a printer, became a cigar manufacturer and dealer, and embarked on several other business ventures during the late 19th and early 20th centuries., Title from item., Printed in blue ink., Gift of David Doret.
The best, ask for it again: Star Braid. [graphic].
Racist trade illustration of an African American girl balancing on a spool of blue Star Braid Thread. She is holds a wand with bubbles on both ends. Two more bubbles float near her. The Star Braid logo is printed in each bubble. The girl is attired in a red dress and is barefoot. She wears a blue ribbon in her hair, gold earrings, armbands, bracelets, and anklets., Title from item., Gift of David Doret.
The best, ask for it again: Star Braid. [graphic].
Racist trade illustration of an African American girl balancing on a spool of blue Star Braid Thread. She is holds a wand with bubbles on both ends. Two more bubbles float near her. The Star Braid logo is printed in each bubble. The girl is attired in a red dress and is barefoot. She wears a blue ribbon in her hair, gold earrings, armbands, bracelets, and anklets., Title from item., Gift of David Doret.

Pages