Snapshots of the Past

The Sabbath among slaves – Antique Wall Art

The Sabbath among slaves, [published 1849] — historic print
The Sabbath among slaves, [published 1849]. Historic print from the Historic Print Archive collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

Step back in time with The Sabbath among slaves, a historic print rich in period detail. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

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The Sabbath among slaves

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This engraving appeared on page 38 of *Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave*, published in New York in 1849. Bibb had escaped from slavery in Kentucky and later wrote about his experiences to win readers to the abolitionist cause. The scene shows enslaved people during the Sabbath, the one day many of them could sometimes rest from field labor, visit family, and gather informally. Such days were not guaranteed, and owners often controlled them closely. The illustration offers a window onto the private life that enslaved communities carved out within a system built to deny it.

Created / published[published 1849]
Medium1 print.
GenreBook illustrations 1840-1850.Prints 1840-1850.
NotesIllus. in: Narrative of the life and adventures of Henry Bibb, an American slave, New York, 1849, p. 38. Published in: The African-American mosaic, a Library of Congress resource guide for the study of black history and culture / Debra Newman Ham, ed. Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1993.
SubjectsAfrican Americans--Social life--1840-1850. Slaves--United States--1840-1850.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan4,096 × 3,296 px · prints to 14 × 11 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-184399

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