- Issued by
- American Colonization Society, American, 1816 - 1964
- Received by
- Cresson, Sarah Emlen, American
- Signed by
- Madison, James, American, 1751 - 1836
- Gurley, Ralph Randolph, American, 1797 - 1872
- Cresson, Elliott, American, 1797 - 1854
- Date
- February 22, 1832
- Medium
- ink on paper
- Dimensions
- H x W: 9 x 11 3/8 in. (22.9 x 28.9 cm)
- Description
- A membership certificate to the American Colonization Society for Sarah Emlen Cresson signed by James Madison as the president of the society on February 22, 1832. The certificate has pre-printed text with spaces for filling in the date and member name by hand. At the center top of the certificate is a bundle of dark clouds with a half-circle of sun rays bursting from it. At the center bottom is a seal that shows a ship following a bird across the ocean to Liberia with text in the outer rim reading "LUX IN TENEBRIS / AM: COL: SOC: A.D. 1816." The seal is surrounded by various types of foliage. The certificate is signed in the bottom left corner by "R.R. Gurley, Secretary" and in the bottom right corner by "James Madison Presed't" inside the lined border of the certificate, and in the bottom left corner outside the border "Attest / Elliott Cresson / 1 mo 8. 1834". The reverse is blank.
- Place made
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place depicted
- Liberia, West Africa, Africa
- Place used
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Slavery and Freedom Objects
- Documents and Manuscripts
- Movement
- Colonization movement
- Type
- membership cards
- Topic
- Emancipation
- Free communities of color
- International affairs
- Race relations
- U.S. History, 1815-1861
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2010.77.9
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




