African Americana (210 results)

Condition: Very good +. First Edition. Sixth annual Little Black Book from the NAACP, containing texts on inspiring Black leadership in business and politics along with a calendar of notable African-American history events on each day of the year. Wraps. 16mo. Saddle-stapled pictorial wraps. Very good plus with light exterior rubbing, some toning throughout. 65pp.

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. First edition. 8vo. Original card covers. 375 item sale catalogue, extensively illustrated in colour and b/w.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. Octavo, 36 pp, publisher s printed wrappers (moderate wear and soiling else very good).

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Early Edition. 6 1/4 X 9 1/4 Inches. 216 PP. Includes a history of the Harlem Renaissance movement as well as studies of Ellison, Wright and Langston Hughes among others. Ink price of $12.50 to front flap. Hint of scuffing to DJ covers and spine.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 16 pp. 8vo, lacking the presumed wrappers. Interesting number, the Protector of Slaves Reports from Trinidad, St Lucia, and Cape of Good Hope. Very good material including cases brought before a magistrate for flogging a slave etc.

8pp. Facsimile folio newspaper. Old folds, minor soiling. Very good. Facsimile of the 1947 graduation issue of the school newspaper from Booker Washington High School, an all African-American high school in Tulsa established in 1913. The center two pages display the yearbook photographs for every member of the Class of 1947, and the last page features the "Class of 1947 Seniors of Distinction." There are also various club pictures, sports news, and other features common to high school newspapers. The paper shows hallmarks of being printed by novice printers, with uneven inking and ink splashes. A wonderfully-amateurish school newspaper from a segregated high school in racially-divided Tulsa that remained segregated until 1973. Danky posits 1938 for the beginning of the newspaper's run, which he calls a newsletter, noting the frequency of the paper as "unknown." It is uncertain why this facsimile of the 1947 graduation issue of Booker Washington High School was produced. DANKY, AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS 6299.

Condition: poor. Four cards: (1) Very faded view of Black couple, walking away from camera titled "Darktown Courtship" , published by "Standard Series" no date, c. 1890. poor condition due to fading of image. (2) "Cotton Picking , Mississippi" copyright Edward Clarke , 1896 ; American Steoreoscopic Co. VG board lightly soiled; good strong photo image. (3) "Our Little Cotton Coop" which shows 4 Black adults and one Black child picking cotton. taken by R W Kilburn, copyright 1892. VG clean , good image quality. (4) "De Breed am small but de flabor am delicious", Stromeyer & Wyman photograph, 1892. (caption in English and in German) which shows an African-American family gathered around the dinner table in a ramshackle room but clearly one with love and feeling as there is a nice tablecloth on the table. Good, card soiled, owner name stamp (J T Boardman) on rear of card. Powerful card as the mocking title conflicts with the emotional impact of the appealing family it portrays. Group of four cards:

Vintage bumper sticker advertising Baltimore radio station WEBB 1360 AM, circa 1970s. Founded in 1955, the station catered to Baltimore's African American community, playing a mixture of blues, R&B, soul, and other contemporary Black music. In 1970, legendary soul musician James Brown purchased the station, and, nine years later, sold it to Dorothy E. Brunson, making her the first African American woman to own a radio station. She sold it in 1990, and it has changed formats and call signs several times since. 7.5 x 3.75 inches. Unpeeled. Lightly soiled, but otherwise bright and Near Fine.

Broadside, 11 x 5 1/2 inches. Contemporary processing stamps from the Toledo Police Department, very faint staining, light original horizontal folds. Very good. A fascinating wanted poster for a thirty-year- old African-American man named "John Sefears, alias John Leworth, alias Joseph Brown, alias 'Poor Boy.'" Sefears is accused of murder for gunning down another "colored" man named George Harris "during an argument in a saloon." Sefears is described as a short, small man from Detroit by way of Raleigh, North Carolina, with a forearm tattoo and a scarred face. The poster was issued by the Chief of Police, Perry D. Knapp. An intriguing artifact of early 20th-century crime, possibly a unique survival.

32pp. Dbd. Minor foxing and soiling. Very good. A declaration of sentiments expressed by the Anti-Slavery Society of Meriden, Connecticut to their fellow citizens, expressing their views on slavery and abolition in the hope of persuading their fellows to feel likewise. This second edition was published the same year as the first. SABIN 47965.

Octavo (10 x 17 cm). [8] pages; illustrations throughout. Text in Serbian. Made into an accordion style with text and illustrations on both sides. The pamphlet is in good condition, with some minor wear and a few nicks to margins. Serbian anti-capitalist propaganda pamphlet entitled "In the Name of Democracy" is profusely illustrated throughout. The booklet aimed at Western democracy, racism issues, and specifically the lynching of African Americans in the United States. Most likely published in occupied Belgrade (1941-1945,) the Nazi Germany-established Military Administration Authority's capital in occupied Serbia. Scarce; we cannot trace any copies in OCLC; not in the trade, as of February 2021.

58pp. Dbd. Gatherings loose. Trimmed a bit closely, affecting some text. Lightly foxed. Good. The American Convention for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and Improving the Condition of the African Race brought together several regional and state organizations under a national umbrella group. The group was founded in 1794. Only four copies of this work are listed in OCLC. SHOEMAKER 4468.

First Edition. First Printing. Octavo (24cm); black paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in gilt on spine; dustjacket; [xvi],64pp. Base of spine gently nudged, else Near Fine in a Very Good+ dustjacket, unclipped (priced $15.95). A collection of poems refined in performance with Shange's band, Syllable. Several of these first appeared in the pages of Uncut Funk, Shooting Star Review, Muleteeth, Yellow Silk, and Real News.

First Edition. Quarto (28cm); original printed wrappers, stapled; 21,[3]pp. Wrappers unevenly toned, starting oxidation to staples, with recipients address label to rear wrapper; contents clean; Very Good. Contents include contributions by Femi Ojo-Ade, David C. Meyer, A. Fisch, James Olney, Isaac Sequeira, and W.T. Lhamon. DANKY 5701.

Printed invitation. 12 mo. Title leaf, program printed on recto of integral leaf (various class exercises, sermons, addresses, a musical performance, presentation of diplomas by President B. F. Allen). The school was founded by members of the 62nd Colored Infantry in 1866). Old light tideline in lower margin, traces of mounting on verso of integral leaf.

[4]pp., printed on a folded quarto sheet. Minor soiling, upper outer corner chipped. Still, very good. A program for a Depression-era theatrical performance of Eugene G. Hafer's 1924 courtroom drama, ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENSE, by an African-American theatre company, performed at Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas. The performance took place on Friday, April 23, 1937 under the auspices of the Dallas Negro Little Theatre Company. The interior two pages include the setting, scene breakdown, and cast list. The last page lists the four officers of the theater company, plus the two members of the Publicity Committee. The Dallas Negro Little Theatre seems to have been part of the "Little Theater" movement in the first half of the 20th century. They were a subsidiary group of the larger Dallas Texas Little Theatre. OCLC records just four copies of this ephemeral program, at Yale, Baylor, Dallas Public Library, and the DeGolyer Library.

4to. Each issue 24-56 pp. Illustrated from photographs, line drawings, facsimiles, etc.; some of the material discussed is clearly racist, but there is also much of historical value and profiles of Black collectors are included. A scattered run of 19 issues (of 29 published, plus three photocopies), including Vol. 1, Nos. 1-3 (the three photocopies), Vol. I, Nos. 4-6, Vol. 2, Nos 1-6 (complete), Vol. 3, Nos. 2-4 (of six issues), Vol. 4, Nos. 1-3 and 5-6 (lacking No. 4), and Vol. 5, Nos. 1-2 (the periodical ceased publication with Vol. 5, No. 5, Spring, 1993). Accompanied by a copy of Paper Pile Quarterly, Vol 11, No. 2: Black Paper Collectibles (San Anselmo, CA: Summer, 1990). All original illustrated wrappers. Very good. For the lot of 20 issues, plus three photocopies, (39010).

First Edition. Octavo (21.5cm); original card wrappers, stapled; [4],5-100pp. Light wear to extremities, original recipient's label on rear wrapper, with some faint, scattered foxing to text edges; Very Good+. Annual report detailing the major achievements of the organization, as well as milestones within the Civil Rights movement, in 1957. Contents touch on the enactment of the Civil Rights Act, violence at Little Rock, challenging the churches, financial statements, an update on circulation of The Crisis, dealing with the color bar in industry, and seeking to abolish ghettos. OCLC notes 21 holdings.

[8]pp. Oblong 12mo. Original pictorial wrappers. Minor wear and soiling. Very good plus. A rare ephemeral calendar of events for a local "Colored Branch" of the Y.W.C.A. in or near Philadelphia for the year 1926. Events include a "Mothers' Club Supper" where Rev. Matthews gave a "Talk on Africa"; classes on dressmaking; the "Be Square Club" which "offers a program of varied interests to girls and women who are employed"; religious education; health education, including basketball, "Captain Ball," "Aesthetic Class," swimming, and tennis; a health center provided by the Germantown Branch; a Mothers' Club; employment services; and more. The program ends with "A School Girl's Creed" and a list of club meetings at various Philadelphia-area schools. The inside back cover prints the list of names for the "Committee of Management 1926-1927," starting with "Chairman, Mrs. Olivia Y. Taylor" and the staff. Most certainly a rare ephemeral item of Roaring Twenties African-American interest. No copies are listed in OCLC, though some might reside in archival collections of various Y.W.C.A. figures or organizations.

Four assorted patches from the 'O'Mens, an African-American Motocycle Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Founded around 1978 by friends Rodney Davenport and Milton Finley (a.k.a. PD, short for "Pimp or Die"). From a December 24, 2003 article (by a Jimi Izrael) on the Club which appeared in the regional magazine, CELVELAND SCENE: "From two people, the club quickly grew to close to 200. Neighbors in the Kinsman-Buckeye area gave the Omens wide birth. At times, members used fisticuffs to keep the peace. 'That's a lot of where we got our rep from,' says PD. 'We were just a no-nonsense club. Don't start none, won't be none.' But, naturally, the kids thought they were the coolest, and that's when the Omens started to reach out. [.] As club members aged and matured, the priorities changed. The Omens became parents and property owners, and began to realize that they had an interest in keeping the neighborhood safe. So they started serving as a de facto crime-watch team and held food-and-clothing drives when houses burned down. What started out as a group of drunken knuckleheads was turning into a posse of public benefactors." Four fabric patches: one approx. 4" sewn logo design; three approx. 8" x 3" red fabric nameplates with black sewn lettering: "X-Rated," "Miss Giggles," and "Big Sexy." Patches appear removed from previous jacket mountings. Overall each clean, about very good. .

[AFRICAN AMERICANA]. Archive of 10 items,mostly original silver gelatin press photographs of high profile African Americans, including civil rights attorney Arthur Shores, Stevie Wonder, and Jesse Jackson. The photos are from UPI. Includes 7 x 9 in. silver gelatin photograph of Arthur Shores with note stating his home was bombed on 20 Aug. 1963. Shores guided the admission of African American students James Hood and Vivian Malone to the University of Alabama. --also includes 5 x 7 in. silver gelatin photograph of Jesse Jackson and three others, one of which is Coretta Scott King, all receiving an award from Nabisco Brands, Inc. Also includes -- 7 1/4 x 9 1/4 in. photograph, on verso "Roberta Flack / feb. - 26 - 1973." -and another - 7 1/2 x 9 1/4 in. photograph, not identified, of a younger woman and older gentleman. -- UPI, publisher. 8 x 10 in. silver gelatin press photograph, with identification of Lionel Hampton and Vivian Reed at a party following her opening in "It's So Nice to Be Civilized" on Broadway, dated 6-6-80. -- Silver gelatin photograph on PBS advertising of Roberta Flack in concert, 22 April (1972?). The concert aired on PBS stations in July 1972. -- 5 x 7 in. silver gelatin photograph of a group of mostly African Americans singing (a bit out of focus). -- UNIVERSITY STUDIO, photographers. 5 x 7 in. silver gelatin photograph of people lined up at a Woolworth's, entering under a sign reading "Luncheonette," likely during the sit-in at the Greensboro lunch counter in 1960 (or a recreation of it). Greensboro, NC. Press photos were taken within tight timeframes by photojournalists for the benefit of particular editorial boards and used by the press to illustrate articles with an impact on public opinion. Comes with: Postcard (color) with title "Ante Bellum Auntie, New Orleans, La." Image of an older African American woman leaning on her cane. Used on verso (message in German). -- Hawkins, Walter. Love Alive. Waco, TX: Lexicon Music, Inc. Music recorded by Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir. Booklet 6.75 x 10.25, printed paper wraps, 60pp. wrappers worn, separating from text block.

Broadside, 14 x 11 inches. Minor dust-soiling, rubbing, and toning. Very good. A delightful pictorial broadside advertising a Methodist church concert in Detroit on September 12, 1952. Photographs include portraits of the choir director, Marvin Dupre; the narrator, Rev. Poole; and twenty- seven members of the co-ed Dupre Victorian Choir ranged in a V-shape in two rows. The Scott Methodist Church was founded in 1909, and was the first African-American Methodist Episcopal Church in Michigan. The church still exists today as the Scott Memorial United Methodist Church.

Broadside mailer 3 1/2 x 11 inches, unfolding to four sheets size 22 x 14 inches, including a full-page facsimile of the advertising Lobby Card. Black and white photo illustrations with blue or gold-tone background coloring; some printed text in blue; overall good condition with 3 inch repaired tear. A scarce item; five WorldCat listings for ephemera related to this motion picture; overall good condition with repair tear noted and short breaks at some folds. One full-size sheet lists "A Great Line of Exploitation Accessories" including Window Cards and Slides; another full-size sheet offers a second facsimile Lobby Card. Text reads, following title, "Thrilling Epic of the Oil Fields WITH AN ALL COLORED CAST.A SMASHING PHOTO PLAY." Also offered are three sample "feature" items "that your Colored Paper should be glad to publish." These include intriguing sub-titles; for example: "Thrilling oil picture made in Tatums, Oklahoma, the all-colored city"; "Black Gold brings Prosperity to Colored Ranchers," etc. A headline announces to the films potential exhibitors: "Black Gold will Swell Your Bank Account" while elsewhere it is proclaimed "You have never seen Action in a colored picture like Black Gold." The film stars J. Lawrence Criner, Kathryn Boyd and the "Original Lavayette Players." An uncommon ephemeral item; WorldCat lists three library holdings.

Broadside mailer 3 1/2 x 11 inches, unfolding to four sheets size 22 x 14 inches, including a full-page facsimile of the advertising Lobby Card. Black and white photo illustrations with blue or gold-tone background coloring; printed text in blue; overall near mint condition. An uncommon ephemeral item; WorldCat lists three library holdings for ephemera related to this film. One full-size sheet lists "A Great Line of Exploitation Accessories" including Window Cards and Slides; another full-size sheet offers a second facsimile Lobby Card. Text reads, following title, "The Flying Ace. The Greatest Airplane Mystery Story Ever Filmed. ALL COLORED CAST.SIX SMASHING REELS." Text one one sheets reports "The first Colored Picture with Real Flying in it, real stunts, loops, parachute jumps.flying upside down.etc." Further along it is noted the film "is full of good laughs and smashing fights, interspersed judiciously through the six reels." The film stars J. Lawrence Criner and Kathryn Boyd. A scarce item; three WorldCat listings for ephemera related to this motion picture; an important addition to holdings relating to African-American film; overall near fine condition.

Album of an African American U.S. Army soldier in Nürnberg (Nuremberg), during the post-WWII Allied occupation of West Germany, with numerous photographs of his fellow squadron members stationed at Merrell Barracks on and off duty. The strict racial segregation of Army units was officially enforced until Truman's 1948 executive order, and unofficially persisted for some time afterwards; the European Command began phased integration only in 1952. The compiler was evidently an enthusiast of cars and car racing at all levels, and took numerous shots of a German soap box derby and its young drivers in action. Photos of the town and environs follow, with photos of a zebra and two camels from a visit to a zoo. Behind two men posing for portraits in front of their army lockers, the names C. MINOR and W. WYATT can be seen, but no certain identifications of individuals can be made. The images include several photographs of soldiers in uniform by an Army jeep; a baseball game on 'Soldiers Field;' a public swimming pool; men running a hurdles course and at ease in the barracks interior, a mechanic rolling out from under a tank, and a military parade. Laid in is a small sepia-toned framed photo of a young woman in a plaid shirt, seated in a playful pin-up pose on a park bench. A well-assembled and -shot unified collection of images from some of the earliest days of military integration. Oblong 8vo. string-tied album. Embossed cognac leather over boards. Cover heavily worn along edges, with dry leather chipped and peeling away at corners. 24 leaves with spiderwebbed tissue guards, the first 16 of which have black and white photographs mounted recto and verso. One smaller photograph (2 x 3 inches) laid in, in a metal frame with protective glass. All photographs in very good plus condition.

Pictorial broadside, 16 x 9 1/2 inches, on cardstock. Minor soiling and toning, edges trimmed close to top and bottom borders. Very good overall. A possibly unique advertising piece from the Watson Press, an active "Art Printing" shop in El Paso, Texas, in the first half of the 20th century. The central image of the broadside shows two African-American children in a distinguished home, one holding pencil and paper, and the other holding a handful of change. The image is captioned, "Comparing Savings." The promotional text below reads, "San Antonio and Chihuahua Sts. El Paso, Texas The Watson Press 'Advertising that Gains Customers' Art Printing Yearly and Monthly Calendars, Blotters, Maps, Fans / Monthly Service Mailing Cards and Folders Pencils, etc." All of the text is printed in a shimmering copper ink. A penciled note on the verso reads, "Sold to Williams Drug Store El Paso exclusively 1923." Contemporary commercial directories identify the owner of the Watson press as a caucasian man named Frank C. Watson. Here, he is clearly marketing his print shop to the African-American community, specifically the customers of the "Williams Drug Store." The only drug store under the name "Williams" in the 1922 El Paso city directory was the African-American-owned Williams & Morrow drug store at 401 S. Oregon. In fact, from the retail drug store listings in the directory, Williams & Morrow appears to be the only drug store in El Paso owned by African Americans, denoted as such by the "(c)" next to the business name, identifying the store's owners as "colored." The directory lists the owners as Jasper B. Williams and G.W. Morrow. An attractive advertising broadside touting the services of an El Paso printing house to the African-American community in the city in the early 1920s.

Original albumen photograph depicting a group of around 40 African American railroad workers, at an industrial facility with multiple rail lines including an overhead rail cart. On original photographer's mat. This photograph's right corner has a blind stamp by the photographer: "BENNETT- INDIANAPOLIS". The photographer's mat measures approximately 11 1/4" x 9 1/2", and the albumen photograph image measures approximately 9 5/8" x 7 3/4". About 50 workers in total, most of them Black, are shown at a facility that was possibly part of a larger railroad network, a mining operation, or another industrial site where transportation of heavy material via rail was necessary. These hard working men wear denim and overalls that are worn and distressed, a testament to their manual labor with many also in hats of varying styles. Verso of the mat is blank. The mat has some wear, rough edges, and a clipped corner, but the photo displays beautifully, with good contrast and focus. In good to very good condition.

First Edition. Quarto (28cm); three leaves of white bond, with text printed in black, stapled at upper left corner; [3]pp. Beginning oxidation to staple, with some scattered spotting toward upper left corner of preliminary leaf; Near Fine. Succinct statement issued by the Board of the SCLC, following its annual meeting on April 13, 1966, in Miami, Florida. Addressing their position on the Vietnam War, the resolution notes: "SCLC as an organization committed to nonviolence must condemn this war on the grounds that it is not the way to solve social problems. Mass murder can never lead to constructive and creative government or to the creation of a democratic society in Vietnam. We call on our government to: 1. Desist from aiding the military junta against the Buddhists, Catholics and students of Vietnam whose efforts to democratize their government are more in consonance with our traditions than the policy of the military oligarchy.2. The intense expectations and hopes of the neglected poor in the United States must be regarded as a priority more urgent than pursuit of a conflict so rapidly degenerating into a sordid military adventure.We urge that our government make a forthright declaration that until a solution is reached, no program for human betterment at home will be sacrificed or curtailed. 3. We believe the moment is now opportune and the need urgent to re-assess our position and seriously examine the wisdom of prompt withdrawal. We further urge that we seriously and sincerely seek free elections and pledge to abide by their results.Only with this posture shall our nation restore its prestige in a world aghast and alarmed at the ruinous course we now pursue so vigorously and blindly." Not separately listed in OCLC.

45pp. Original printed front wrapper (rear wrapper lacking). Unobtrusive institutional ink stamp on front wrapper. Minor toning to paper. Good. A rare pamphlet comprising the defendant's response to the United States Supreme Court in a case regarding funds for the care of former slaves that were supposed to be paid out of the estate of Gazaway B. Lamar, according to his will. The plaintiffs argue for the $100,000 bequeathed to them in Mr. Lamar's will, funds intended "to be devoted to establishing and sustaining one or more hospitals [in Augusta and Savannah] for colored persons.who have been slaves and their descendants, giving preference to those which once belonged to or were hired by me." The respondents' attorney, Joseph H. Coates breaks his argument down into five points, and in summation, states that there simply isn't enough left in the estate to satisfy the claim. The plaintiff's circuit court appeal is present in OCLC in only one copy, but there are no physical copies in OCLC of this response from the defendants. OCLC 576732450 (digital reproduction).

New Constitution for the State of Illinois. Presented by Hawley & Grant. Springfield, IL: Hawley & Grant, [1870]. Octavo, approximately 5.5" x 8.5" inches. Printed blue wrappers. 32 pages. Rare. By the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, it was clear that the Illinois constitution of 1848 had been written for totally different times and that the government could not operate for a month without violating it. The 1848 State Constitution was not equipped for the unforeseen changes in transportation, immigration, population growth, and industrialization, not to mention the hotly debated topic of suffrage. At the time, African American rights in Illinois were a fierce point of contention. Illinois was one of seven Midwestern states that denied the vote to African American residents, and though Illinois had been admitted to the Union as a free state, if a free black person was unable to present proof of their freedom they could be sold by the sheriff to the highest bidder. It was clear the state needed to be turned into a more rational and cohesive unit by way of a new constitution. The extreme partisanship of the Illinois State Convention of 1862, which was held in the midst of the Civil War, was doomed to failure; With the close of the war, however, voters approved another call for a constitutional convention. Illinois repealed the oppressive "Black Code" laws following the end of the War in 1865, paving the way for a more just future during the 1869 convention. Delegates were chosen in November 1869 and the convention began meeting in December. The convention was evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, who debated topics ranging from religion, to public education, to organized labor, to industrial regulation, and most importantly, African American suffrage. The convention met for 95 days, and after much discussion, granted voting rights to African American men. Shortly thereafter, Chicagoan John Jones, who had led the fight to remove all state and local restrictions on African Americans, was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1871 as the first black man to hold elective office in the state. The 1870 Illinois Constitution also included more detail concerning public education, transportation, revenue and the regulation of businesses and corporations, especially railroads, affirmed the property tax as the chief form of revenue for the state, increased the authority of the governor and curbed the power of the legislature, and reformed the court system. The new constitution met those needs well enough to serve the state for 100 years. Chipping to wrapper edges. Front wrapper separated; back wrapper holding. Binding tight and interior clean. Rare and hard to find. Overall, in good condition.