Slavery Pictures

The Slave Gallery Features Original 1860's illustrations of Slaves. 

Each illustration is original, and is over 130 years old. Click on Images for Larger View.  I have a lot of original Civil War Material on Blacks, Slaves, and Buffalo Soldiers.  If you don't find what you want here, email me, and I will put it up for you to see.  I eventually hope to have my entire collection up for friends to view, but it takes time.

Click Here for Even More Slavery Pictures

Original Print of Injured Buffalo Soldier and Lady Liberty

This is an original 1865 print by Thomas Nast, one of the most popular artists of the 1800's.  It is one of the most touching and dramatic of all Civil War of  Negro Soldiers, and one of my personal favorites.  The print shows a Union Buffalo Soldier who lost his leg in the Civil War.  He is standing in his Union uniform, and is supported by crutches.  He has lost his leg well above his knee.  Lady Liberty stands by the soldier, with her hand tenderly placed upon his shoulder.  She is looking out of the picture and pointing to him with her other hand, as if to ask, "what shall we do with this man".  At the time this print was made, the Nation was struggling to deal with the "freemen".  This print presents the perspective that the Negro, along with the white man, had served bravely in the war, and deserved to be fully recognized for his heroism. In the background is a tattered US flag, and inscribed on the flag are battles such as Fort Pillow and Fort Wagner, which were battles in which Buffalo Soldiers played a particularly important role. This is an extremely rare and collectible print.  It is a "must have" for any serious "Buffalo Soldier" collector.  In my mind this is one of the most important, original Black America prints.

 H1865P489          Price $200

Slaves Loading Cotton on board the Riverboat Tatum

This is a dramatic and important historical piece.  It is the original cover page from an 1863 edition of Harper's Weekly, the most popular illustrated newspaper of the day.  The print is simply stunning, and shows blacks rolling large bails of cotton onto the riverboat "Tatum".  The upper portion of the print shows a soldier and several slaves standing in front of a barn full of cotton.  The cotton is marked "CSA" for Confederate States of America.  In the background, a number of riverboats can be seen on the river.  The print is labeled across its center, "Cotton Pile Near the Worthington Plantation- Collecting Confiscated Cotton", and below the print has the label, "Rolling Cotton on Board the Tatum". A large Civil War cannon can be seen in the foreground. You are simply not going to find a more impressive or historical print.  Period slave pieces such as this are becoming more difficult to find, so don't miss this opportunity to own both an important piece of history and art. 

H1863P273          Price $150

Amazing Image of Confederate Negro Soldiers

Believe it or not, some Blacks served in the Confederate Army.  This original 1863 image shows two Black men serving as Rebel soldiers.  The rebel buffalo soldiers are shown in full confederate uniforms, and amazingly, are shown fully armed.  Adjacent to the image is an article describing one of the hot political issues of the day . . . whether black men should be allowed to serve in the Union Army.  The newspaper describes the irony of the fact that the war was being fought to free the slaves, that the North did not want to arm the black man and let him help fight for the freedom of his brothers, but yet the South had no reservations about arming black men to fight for the institution of slavery.

This is an unusual illustration of a little known aspect of the Civil War.

H1863p17         Price $190

Gordon: Runaway Slave Turned Union Soldier

This original 1863 leaf presents the incredible story and pictures of the Runaway Slave Gordon.  The leaf describes Gordon's amazing story.  Gordon escaped slavery in Mississippi.  The leaf describes how Gordon escaped captivity by rubbing himself with onions, to foil the plantation owner's hounds, which had been sent to track Gordon down.  Gordon effectively made it to Union forces stationed at Baton Rouge.  The picture at the left shows Gordon in tattered clothes, showing the poor shape he was in upon finding refuge with the Union army.  The center illustration shows Gordon's back, scared from endless brutal whippings at his master's hand.  The third illustration shows Gordon in Union uniform, after joining the Union Army.  The story surrounding the images gives an incredible account of Gordon's escape and induction into the Army.

H1863p429        Price $210

Emancipation: A Celebration of Freedom

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 emancipator, Abraham Lincoln.  The images on the left of the leaf show the brutal legacy of slavery, to the right are images of hope, of a brighter future. 

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 by a slave owner like a piece of livestock.  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 presenting 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. 

H1863p56       Price $280

Amazing Image of Full Infantry Charge of a Black Soldier Regiment

This original 1863 illustration shows a full infantry charge of the First Kansas Volunteer Colored unit.  The scene is of the Battle of Island Mounds, where the First Kansas Volunteer regiment routed a Rebel regiment. 

This illustration shows some amazing action as the emancipated slaves, turned union soldiers unleash on a group of rebel soldiers.  The battle turned out to be a rout, with the Buffalo Soldiers putting the Rebels into full retreat

The illustration is in excellent condition, and is a 16X22 inch double wide illustration.

 H1863p17         Price $226

Training of First Buffalo Soldiers in the Civil War

This original 1863 illustration shows a group of freed slaves being trained for duty in the Union Army.  Use of Black men as Union Soldiers was very controversial.  Initially it was felt that they would not make good soldiers, however, the few that were given a chance at this early stage proved the critics to be wrong. 

The caption on the image reads "Teaching the Negro Recruits the Use of Mini Rifle.

H1863p161         Price $200