Created by

Nicollet, J. N., French, 1786 - 1843

Owned by

Hoyt, David, American, 1821 - 1856

Date

1843

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 19 x 32 in. (48.3 x 81.3 cm)

Caption

This bloodstained map depicting the Mississippi River Basin was owned by David Starr Hoyt, an abolitionist murdered by pro-slavery forces near Lawrence, Kansas, in August 1856.

Description

A bloodstained 1843 map of the Mississippi River Basin found in the pocket of abolitionist David Hoyt, who was murdered by pro-slavery forces near Lawrence, Kansas in August of 1856. The map is printed in black ink on off-white paper and consists of only the lower half of the full published map, which extends to Lake Superior. At lower left is the map's title and publication information. The map depicts the states of Illinois and Missouri, Iowa Territory, and the lands of several indigenous tribes labeled as "Kikapoo Indian Country," "Iowa Indian Country," "Sac and Fox Indian Country," and so on. The map has been folded vertically and horizontally several times and there are two large bloodstains on either side of the center vertical fold, with smaller blood stains throughout.

Place used

Douglas County, Kansas, United States, North and Central America

Classification

Documents and Published Materials

Slavery and Freedom Objects

Movement

Anti-slavery movements

Type

maps

Topic

American West

Antislavery

Slavery

U.S. History, 1815-1861

Violence

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2011.23.1

Restrictions & Rights

Public domain

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54f78e8b1-7c66-46c1-bed1-4b6b83bac88b