Racist, trade card specimen depicting a white boy clown kicking an African American shoe shine boy from behind. In the right, the white boy, attired white clown costume with a white cap decorated with a blue ball, a white shirt with ruffles at the neck and waist, white pants with a ruffle at the cuffs, white stockings, and blue shoes, carries a jump rope in both hands. He smiles at the viewer and kicks his left foot propelling the shoe shiner into the air. The shoe shiner is attired in a blue jacket with tails, white pants, black stockings, and brown shoes. His top hat, shoe shining stool, and open can of shoe polish fly away from him., Title supplied by cataloger., Date deduced from the visual content., Gift of David Doret.
Date
[ca. 1880]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Misc. 27 [P.2017.95.238]
Racist trade card promoting wheelwrights the Goodwin Brothers and depicting caricatures of African Americans picking cotton on a plantation. In the left, an African American man, attired in a hat, a blue plaid shirt, blue and white striped pants, and brown shoes, kneels on the ground and picks cotton off of a plant. To his left is a large basket overflowing with cotton. In the right, two barefooted African American boys, attired respectively in beige pants rolled up to the knees and a blue shirt and blue pants rolled up to the knees and a white shirt, each hold the end of a rope (probably a jump rope). They look in alarm and exclaim “Whoa! Aunty!” as an African American woman who has tripped on the rope flies in the air. The woman, attired in a white shirt with blue polka dots, a blue plaid shirt, and black shoes, throws both her hands in front of her with her mouth open as she falls toward the ground. Her basket full of cotton is flung through the air. In the background are four other cotton pickers, one man carries a basket on his right shoulder and a woman raises both her arms up. Brothers James K. Goodwin (1844-1910) and Charles W. Goodwin (1853-1943) were wheelwrights in Manchester, New Hampshire., Title from item., Date deduced from history of the advertised business., Series number printed on the recto: 450., Advertising text printed on the verso: Goodwin Brothers, manufacturers of wheels and carriage wood work of every description. Also dealers in hubs, spokes, rims, shafts, bodies, seats, carriage gear &c. Hubs turned and mortised. Sawing and planing to order. Carriages built to order, complete. Special attention given to repairing. 441 Elm Street, Hodge’s Building, Manchester, N.H. J.K. Goodwin. C.W. Goodwin., Gift of David Doret.
Date
[ca. 1880]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Goodwin [P.2017.95.74]