Emancipated Slave Family

Thomas Nast Slavery Pictures

Thomas Nast was a staunch Abraham Lincoln supporter, defender of the Union Cause in the Civil War, and strong opponent to Slavery.  Nast used his art to show the Nation a picture of how things could be.  He created the artwork below on the topic of Slavery, in the days that Slavery was still a thriving institution in our land.  Thomas Nast's dramatic illustrations helped our Nation understand the moral outrage of slavery. The images capture the important events related to Slavery in the 1860's. The collection below contains all Slavery Artwork created by Thomas Nast during the Civil War years. Each leaf is original, and over 135 years old. This artwork was critical in helping to lead our Nation out of the Corrupt and Bankrupt Institution of Slavery, and onto a path of freedom and equality for all men.

Thomas Nast's Original "Emancipated Slaves" Illustration

This original 1863 leaf presents a stunning image by Thomas Nast, one of the most popular artists of the 1800's. Prominently in the center of the illustration is an image of a black family celebrating its new found freedom. Above the old wood stove the family has placed a picture of their great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln. The images on the left of the leaf show the brutal legacy of slavery, to the right are images of hope, and of a brighter future.

Thomas Nast "Emancipated Slaves"  (Click on Image for Enlarged View)

One of the images on the left shows a slave auction. A young man is on the auction block, and a young black woman can be seen in the audience on her knees pleading with a white man. Presumably, she has just been sold, and she is pleading with her new owner to also buy the remainder of her family, so the family could be kept together. Other images on the left show a black woman strapped to a stump and being whipped mercilessly. Also shown is a man being branded like a piece of livestock by his owner . To the right, hopeful images are shown, with Blacks attending public school, shopping and other mundane daily activities that we all take for granted today. This illustration would have no doubt been controversial when it was produced in the mid-1860's, as it was not just showing Freed Slaves, but went as far as to suggest an integrated society. This is a poignant illustration, showing a family celebrating its freedom, images of its dark past, and images of hope for a brighter future.

We created this Thomas Nast Gallery to digitally preserve Nast's Slavery work for posterity.  We are now making the original, 140 year old leafs available for a  $250 contribution to this site.  The proceeds from the sale of the material will enable us to continue to expand the free educational material featured on our site.  Please contact paul@sonofthesouth.net if you are interested in acquiring one of these original leafs.