Skip to main content
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Smithsonian
  • Visit

    Visit

    Get the latest information about timed passes and tips for planning your visit
    • Plan Your Visit
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Accessibility Options
    • Sweet Home Café
    • Museum Store
    • Museum Maps
    • Download Our Mobile App
  • Explore

    Explore

    Search the collection and explore our exhibitions, centers, and digital initiatives
    • Search the Collection
    • Exhibitions
    • The Curator Chats Series
    • Collection Stories
    • NMAAHC Digital Resources Guide
    • Blog
    • Many Lenses
    • Building
    • Museum Centers
    • Initiatives
    • Open Access
    • Publications
  • Learn

    Learn

    Online resources for educators, students, and families
    • Educators
    • Students
    • Adults
    • Early Childhood
    • Library
    • Talking About Race
  • Connect

    Connect

    Engage with us and support the Museum from wherever you are
    • Strategic Partnerships
    • Ways to Give
    • Volunteer
    • Internships & Fellowships
    • Contact
  • Events

    Events

    View a calendar of our public programs
    • Today at the Museum
    • Host an Event at NMAAHC
    • Upcoming Events
    • Ongoing Tours and Activities
    • Recent Events
  • About

    About

    Learn more about the Museum and view recent news
    • About the Museum
    • Leadership
    • Meet Our Curators
    • Founding Donors
    • Corporate Leadership Council
    • News
    • Image Files for Media Use
    • NMAAHC Annual Reports
  • Donate
  • Search

Search form

Collection Home

Collection Search Results

Search:
Filter:
Close Facet Modal
Basic Advanced
  • Topic
    • Stereotypes 5 [-]
    • Photography 4 [-]
    • Caricature and cartoons 3 [-]
    • U.S. History, 1865-1921 2 [-]
    • Violence 2 [-]
    • American South 1 [-]
    • American West 1 [-]
    • Communities 1 [-]
    • Correspondence 1 [-]
    • Costume 1 [-]
    • Domestic life 1 [-]
    • Entertainers 1 [-]
    • Hate crimes 1 [-]
    • Housing 1 [-]
    • Lynching 1 [-]
    • Minstrel (Music) 1 [-]
    • Poverty 1 [-]
    • Race relations 1 [-]
    • Race riots 1 [-]
    • Vaudeville 1 [-]
    Search More Topics
    Show More Topics Show Fewer Topics
  • Name
    • Asheville Postcard Company 1 [-]
    • Brown, Sam 1 [-]
    • Dillingham, Jack 1 [-]
    • Gillespie, John 1 [-]
    • Gillespie, Nease 1 [-]
    • Holden, Olive H. 1 [-]
    • J. Ottmann Lithographing Company 1 [-]
    • Outcault, Richard Felton 1 [-]
    • Yerkes, A. 1 [-]
    Search More Names
    Show More Names Show Fewer Names
  • Object Type
    • Photographs 2 [-]
    • Portraits 2 [-]
    Search More Object Types
    Show More Object Types Show Fewer Object Types
  • Date
    • 1900s 5 [-]
    • 1910s 2 [-]
    • 1930s 1 [-]
    • 1940s 1 [-]
    Search More Dates
    Show More Dates Show Fewer Dates
  • Place
    • North and Central America 3 [-]
    • United States 3 [-]
    • North Carolina 2 [-]
    • Asheville 1 [-]
    • Buncombe County 1 [-]
    • Illinois 1 [-]
    • Rowan County 1 [-]
    • Salisbury 1 [-]
    • Sangamon County 1 [-]
    • Springfield 1 [-]
    Search More Places
    Show More Places Show Fewer Places
  • On View
    • Yes 2 [-]
    Search More On Views
    Show More On Views Show Fewer On Views
  • Media Type
    • Images 7 [-]
    Search More Media Types
    Show More Media Types Show Fewer Media Types
  • Open Access (CC0)
    • Yes 1 [-]
    Search More Open Access (CC0)s
    Show More Open Access (CC0)s Show Fewer Open Access (CC0)s
Filter Results
Applied Filters: clear all filters
    Included:
  • object-type: "Postcards"
Your search found 7 result(s).
Print
  • Postcard of the bodies of Nease Gillespie, John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham

    Published by
    Unidentified
    Subject of
    Gillespie, Nease, American, 1855 - 1906
    Gillespie, John, American, 1891 - 1906
    Dillingham, Jack, American, died 1906
    Unidentified Man or Men
    Unidentified Child or Children
    Date
    August, 1906
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W: 4 5/8 × 2 15/16 in. (11.8 × 7.4 cm)
    H x W: 5 7/16 × 3 7/16 in. (13.8 × 8.8 cm)
    Description
    Postcard with a black and white image of the bodies of Nease Gillespie, John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham. They are at the center of the image and are hanging from ropes by their necks. Their clothes are torn and several wounds are visible on their bodies and heads. A large tree is visible on the right side of the photograph and bags connected to the same ropes they are hanging from are visible in the background. They are surrounded by a large group of men and several children, many of which are looking at the camera. A man on the right side of the photograph has his right hand resting on the left shoulder of one of the hanging men. Printed in black text beneath the image is "Nease and John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham, murderers of Lyerly / family. Lynched August 6th, 1906. Salisbury, N. C." Printed in black text on the back of the postcard is "Post Card."
    Place captured
    Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
    Collection title
    Liljenquist Family Collection
    Classification
    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Media Arts-Photography
    Type
    postcards
    Topic
    American South
    Hate crimes
    Lynching
    Photography
    U.S. History, 1865-1921
    Violence
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Liljenquist Family
    Object number
    2018.43.13.2
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5d7636c29-ed96-47ad-baba-99b30112d6eb
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Old Negro saving few articles after mob violence. Many went destitute + homeless

    Created by
    Unidentified
    Subject of
    Unidentified Man or Men
    Date
    1908
    Medium
    silver and photographic gelatin on printing-out paper mounted on card stock
    Dimensions
    H x W: 3 3/8 x 5 3/8 in. (8.6 x 13.7 cm)
    Description
    A black-and-white photographic postcard of an elderly man gathering possessions after the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Illinois. The man is depicted in the center of the image, outside of what appears to be a residential structure, amid a scattering of furniture, clothing, and other domestic objects. The man holds a small drawer of possessions in his proper left hand, against his proper left hip. In front of him is what appears to be dresser drawers stacked in the grass and full of tangled pieces of clothing and an upturned chair. Behind him, a small table piled with more random belongings and a chair sit in front of a tree. To the right side of the image, closer to the street, is a larger table with cookware and other items on it. In front of the table, standing in the street, are two white men, both looking towards the camera. The men are dressed in dark pants, jackets, and hats. The scene is in front of a single story dwelling with wooden siding, an open doorway, and two shutter-less windows. Written in white at the bottom of the image is [Old negro saving few articles after mob violence, many were destitute and homeless]. There is a small, round loss in the left side of the photograph, top center.
    The postcard is unused and has a divided back with a space marked as [CORRESPONDENCE HERE] and a space marked as [NAME AND ADDRESS HERE]. The postcard is printed on AZO paper, with an AZO stamp mark in the upper right corner of the back. A handwritten inscription in graphite along the top of the back reads [Old Negro saving few articles after mob violence most went destitute and homeless. (SPRINGFIELD RACE RIOT ILL.)].
    Place depicted
    Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Media Arts-Photography
    Type
    photographic postcards
    Topic
    Communities
    Domestic life
    Housing
    Photography
    Poverty
    Race relations
    Race riots
    U.S. History, 1865-1921
    Violence
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2010.36.9.1
    Restrictions & Rights
    Public domain
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5579eb8d9-a50b-4664-9e30-934b54db430a
  • Postcard of a performer playing a drum while on a unicycle

    Photograph by
    Unidentified
    Subject of
    Brown, Sam
    Date
    1918 - 1936
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W: 5 3/8 × 3 7/16 in. (13.7 × 8.7 cm)
    Description
    A black and white photographic postcard of a man riding a unicycle while playing a drum.
    The man is wearing a tall brimmed hat, a button down shirt with metal forearm cuffs, dark pants, and shoes. His lips are painted white and puckered. He has a large drum strapped in front of him, a drum stick in his proper right hand, and a cymbal in his proper left arm. The name "Sam Brown" is handwritten in graphite on the bottom proper left side. The postcard has minor creases and small areas of discoloration. The image is depicted vertically on the front of the postcard.
    The back of the postcard is horizontal. There is black text. The top canter reads [POST CARD / CARTE POSTALE - POSTKARTE / Communication - Mitteilungen - Correspondance Address - Adresse]. There is a vertical black line underneath the words. In the top right corner there is a square with rounded edges that reads [STAMP / HERE] with a logo in between the words.
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Classification
    Media Arts-Photography
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    portraits
    postcards
    Topic
    Entertainers
    Minstrel (Music)
    Music
    Musicians
    Photography
    Stereotypes
    Vaudeville
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2015.97.38.2
    Restrictions & Rights
    Public domain
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5b2fa1f98-19f7-4049-b91d-18c655022c3e
  • Postcard of "And he Winked the other eye"

    Illustrated by
    Yerkes, A.
    Date
    after 1905
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    ink on paper (fiber product)
    Dimensions
    H x W: 3 5/8 x 5 9/16 in. (9.2 x 14.1 cm)
    Description
    An unused illustrated postcard of "And he Winked the other eye." The front features a color cartoon of a man depicted on the left side of the card. He is pictured from the back, walking, and looking over his proper right shoulder at the viewer. He wears a yellow, wide brim hat, a red and yellow striped jacket with yellow buttons, yellow and red striped pants, and orange shoes. A smoking cigar is dangling from the man's large, red lips. He holds a yellow cane is in his proper right hand. His left hand is covered with an orange glove and holds the other glove. He is surrounded by blue outlined smoke clouds. Blue text at the top right reads [And he Winked / the other eye]. Small blue text under the image reads [H [circled] 782 / COPYRIGHT 1905 BY A. YERKES]. The back is white with brown printed text. Printed on the back of the postcard is [POST CARD] at the top and [THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS] in the bottom left corner. There is also a box labeled [PLACE / POSTAGE / STAMP / HERE] in the top right corner.
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Classification
    Memorabilia and Ephemera
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    postcards
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.403
    Restrictions & Rights
    Public domain
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54d232450-89c6-4e0e-8bed-47bcb8e5a164
  • Postcard depicting a caricatured boy eating a slice of watermelon

    Illustrated by
    Outcault, Richard Felton, American, 1863 - 1928
    Printed by
    J. Ottmann Lithographing Company, American, 1874 - 1910
    Subject of
    Holden, Olive H., American
    Date
    1909
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W: 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (8.9 x 14 cm)
    Description
    A postcard depicting a caricatured boy eating a slice of watermelon. The front of postcard features a color illustration of a boy eating a slice of watermelon. The boy is smiling widely and holding a partially eaten watermelon slice in both hands. He wears a blue shirt with black suspenders. Illustrated stalks of corn are to the side and in front of him. A black printed signature under the illustration reads [R. F. Outcault]. Black printed text at the top right reads [I'M VERY BUSY JUST NOW]. Blue printed text in the bottom right corner [COPYRIGHT 1905 BY J. OTTMANN LITH. CO. N.H.]. The postcard is inscribed in black ink on the top, left corner of the recto with the text [June 14, 1909]. The right side of the recto is inscribed in black ink with the text [getting ready to / go to the seashore / Harwich port on / the Cape. We go the / middle or last of the / week for the summer. / I like the Dr. & Mrs. / Bragg very much and / Foxboro is fine too. / I'm awfully sorry we / lose you from Royalston. / We shall miss you & / Margaret. Wasn't it / sad about Gladys Jackson? / How does Wesley take it?]. The inscription continues on the verso [Hope you are all / well and happy. / How is old Jim & / sport? If you will / answer this I / will try to give / you more details / next time. My address / is Olive H. Holden, / Foxboro, Mass. / of Dr. F. A. Bragg / Ask Marge to please / write]. Printed on the top, center of the recto is the text [POST CARD] and [THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS] printed on the bottom left edge. The postcard has been addressed to [Mrs. Fred W. Holmann / Chesterfield, / N.H.]. Inside the stamp box is a green one cent U.S. postage stamp and postmarked [FOXBORO / 1909 / MASS]. Along the top edge of the recto is an inscription in pencil [signed Outcault 10- as is].
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Collection title
    Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Classification
    Memorabilia and Ephemera
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    postcards
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Correspondence
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.404
    Restrictions & Rights
    Public domain
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54416ca1c-4d80-4b2f-b981-269e0874689d
  • A Coon Trees a Possum in Dixieland

    Printed by
    Asheville Postcard Company, American, founded 1910
    Date
    after 1913
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    ink on paper (fiber product)
    Dimensions
    H x W: 5 1/2 x 3 9/16 in. (14 x 9 cm)
    Description
    A postcard of "A Coon Trees a Possum in Dixieland." The front features a color illustration of an elderly man climbing the trunk of a tree, reaching for the tail of a gray possum that is sitting on branch above him. The man has a white mustache, beard, and hair. He is wearing a blue frock coat and red pants. He has a bag slung over his proper left shoulder. In the background are green bushes with white and red flowers. The postcard has an off-white border. In the center of the top border is black printed text that reads [252 A COON TREES A POSSUM IN DIXIELAND]. Black text at the bottom right reads [E-5618]. The back of the postcard is white with dark blue printed text. The text printed top left corner reads [THIS SPACE FOR WRITING MESSAGES] and [POST CARD] in the top right half of the card. There is also a box labeled [PLACE / STAMP / HERE] in the top right corner. Text printed vertically down the center reads [PUBLISHED BY ASHEVILLE POST CARD CO., ASHEVILLE, N.C.]. The number [3] is handwritten in pencil in the top right corner.
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Place printed
    Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Memorabilia and Ephemera
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    postcards
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.405
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd500f61350-ef2f-49ff-9487-aceac9714583
  • Photographic postcard portrait of two men in Western attire

    Published by
    Unidentified
    Photograph by
    Unidentified
    Subject of
    Unidentified Man or Men
    Date
    early 20th century
    Medium
    silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper with ink
    Dimensions
    H x W (Image): 5 1/8 × 3 1/16 in. (13 × 7.8 cm)
    H x W (Card): 5 7/16 × 3 7/16 in. (13.8 × 8.7 cm)
    Description
    This real photo postcard features a black and white image of two men dressed in cowboy and indian costumes. The man on the left is wearing fur chaps, a hat and a fringed jacket and has a scarf tied around his neck. He is holding a lasso in his left hand and a pistol in his right. The man on the right is wearing cropped pants and a jacket to match. He has fabric wrapped around his waist and is wearing a headpiece. On the back of the postcard the word [POST CARD] is printed at the top. The words [CORRESPONDENCE] and [ADDRESS] divide the back into two sections. Residue from adhesive is visible in five places, in each corner and in the center of the postcard. There are no inscriptions, front or back.
    Classification
    Media Arts-Photography
    Memorabilia and Ephemera
    Type
    gelatin silver prints
    portraits
    photographic postcards
    Topic
    American West
    Costume
    Photography
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2014.37.35.17
    Restrictions & Rights
    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5101fb7ad-5280-45ef-aa88-10fc96ac9749
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Museum Address

1400 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20560

  • Become a Member
  • Make a Donation

Get Updates

 
    Please leave this field empty
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • YouTube

Privacy | Terms of Use

Back to Top