"I'm a farder"
Title
"I'm a farder"
Description
Set of four collecting cards depicting racist caricatures of African Americans to satirize fatherhood and the question of paternity. Titles are in the vernacular. Includes "I'm a Farder" showing a dapperly-dressed African American man, attired in a white collared shirt, a red tie, a gray waistcoat, a blue jacket, and blue-and-white striped pants. He talks to his "Aunty," an African American woman, attired in a red and yellow head kerchief, hoop earrings, a green and red shawl, a red dress, and a white apron, and holding her hands to her chest; "Aunty Says Der Am Two" showing the man with a sheepish look and his hands in his pockets while "Aunty" smiles; "And Dat One Am kinder White" showing the man aghast and standing straight up as "Aunty" holds out her hands in a near gesture of comfort; and "If Dat Chile Dont Change Color Der'l Be Trouble in Dis Yer Fam'ly" showing the man forlorn, hands in pockets, and looking down at this two infants being held by "Aunty" in her lap, while she sits in a chair under a placard reading "Bless Our Home." The baby in the left has a dark skin tone, and the baby in the right has a light skin tone., Copyrighted., Title from item., Date inferred from content., Purchase 2012., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Purchased with funds from the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date
[ca. 1880]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department GC - Genre [P.2012.23.1-4]
Marriage certificate. We are one forever. This certifies that [Green Allen] and [Mary E. Foster] were united in holy matrimony by me according to the ordinance of God, laws of the state of [Mich] at [Decatur] on the [30] day of October. In the year of our
Title
Marriage certificate. We are one forever. This certifies that [Green Allen] and [Mary E. Foster] were united in holy matrimony by me according to the ordinance of God, laws of the state of [Mich] at [Decatur] on the [30] day of October. In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and [79] [Isaac Moss Minister of the Gospel. Witnesses [Sarah A. Foster] [David Moss]
Description
Marriage certificate containing the bust-length, carte-de-visite studio portrait photographs of Green T. Allen, Jr. and Mary E. Foster surrounded by text, pictorial details, and a geometrically-shaped border. Allen and Foster identified as multiracial in census records. Allen's portrait depicts the young man, looking to the right, and attired in a jacket with a notch lapel, a multi-colored tie, and white shirt with lapel collar. He also has a mustache and wears his hair short and greased flat. Foster's portrait (hand-colored) depicts the young woman, looking to the right, and attired in a garment with ruffle details at the shoulder and a neckerchief with fringe. She wears her long, wavy hair pulled back in the front and loose in the back. She also wears earrings. Between and around the portraits are pictorial details depicting flowers, grapes, vinery, doves (in nests), and scrollwork. Allen, son of Cass County, Michigan farmer Green Allen, Sr. was also a farmer, and a Justice of Township later in life. Allen, Jr. and Mary E. (Foster) Allen, daughter of a Decatur, Michigan farmer, had two children, son Charles F. Allen (1880-1971) and daughter Ethel May Allen Goens (1886-1942). Green T. Allen Jr.'s father was a founder of the prominent Black community of Southwest Michigan that settled in the area via the Underground Railroad., Title from item., Date of printing inferred from manuscript date., Completed in manuscript to Green Allen and Mary E. Foster on October 30, 1879. Signed Isaac Moss, Sarah A. Foster, and David Moss. Sarah A. Foster, later Cannon, was the sister of Mary E. Foster. Isaac Moss was a farmer and reverend. David Moss, son of Isaac Moss, was a farmer., Contains newspaper clipping from a ca. 1918 March edition of "The Cassopolis (Mich.) Vigilant" on verso. Clipping is backing for portrait photographs., RVCDC, W.P. Cooper was a teacher by the 1870s and had previously attended law school.
Creator
Cooper, W.P, 1822-1888, designer
Date
[completed 1879, printed ca. 1875]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *GC - Certificates - Marriage [P.2024.46.1]