- Written by
- Allen, William, British, 1770 - 1843
- Manufactured by
- Williams, John, British
- Subject of
- Cuffe, Paul, American, 1759 - 1817
- The African Institution, British, 1807 - 1827
- Kizell, John, Sierra Leonean
- Friendly Society of Sierra Leone, founded 1811
- Warren, Henry, Sierra Leonean
- Wise, James, Sierra Leonean
- Gabbidon, Stephen, Sierra Leonean
- Date
- 1811-1815
- Medium
- ink on paper, leather
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 12 11/16 × 8 1/2 × 1 1/4 in. (32.2 × 21.6 × 3.1 cm)
- Description
- A leather-bound ledger entitled, “African Correspondence” owned by William Allen. The ledger contains handwritten copies of letter written and received by Allen as well as other documents copied by Allen. The leather is in poor condition, with the spine almost completely detached and very fragmentary. The cover has numerous areas of loss and damage. There is a dark red label at the top of the spine with the volume’s title. The pastedown pages are blue marbled paper. On the front pastedown page there is a name plate with the text, “John Williams / Patent Acco’ Book Manufacturer & / Stationer / Royal Family Public Offices [illegible] / 20 Cornhill London.” There is also a modern barcode affixed to the bottom left corner that reads “002789.” The book has tabbed pages, labeled A-Z and printed in alternating red and black ink. Inside, the book is filled with black handwritten script on 225 pages made up of copies of separate documents. Approximately half of the pages in the book are unused.
- A partial list of the correspondence and documents copied in the ledger are as follows:
- 1. William Allen to John Kizell, Aug. 29, 1811
- 2. Kizell to Allen, Feb. 19, 1812
- 3. Friendly Society (Henry Warren/Pres. and James Wise/Clerk) to Allen, Feb 4, 1812
- 4. Allen to Kizell, April 4, 1812
- 5. Allen to Friendly Society, April 30, 1812
- 6. Friendly Society (Warren & Wise) to Allen, May 3, 1812
- 7. Friendly Society (Warren) to Allen, July 30, 1812
- 8. Kizell to Allen, July, 30 1812
- 9. Allen to Kizell , Oct., 30 1812
- 10. Allen to Friendly Society, Oct., 30 1812
- 11. Paul Cuffee to Allen, June 17, 1812
- 12. Cuffee to Allen, June 1812
- 13. Allen & Thomas Clarkson to Cuffee, July 1812
- 14. Allen to Cuffee, Oct. 29, 1812
- 15. Resolution of the Directors of the African Institution, Aug. 27, 1811
- 16. Resolution of the Directors of the African Institution, June 16, 1812
- 17. Allen to Kizell, Jan. 29, 1813
- 18. Allen to Warren, Jan. 24, 1813
- 19. Wise to Warren, March 1813
- 20. Kizell to Allen, March 21, 1813
- 21. List of slaves auctioned by William Draper, March 10, 1813
- 22. Rules & Regulations of the Friendly Society of Sierra Leone
- 23. Warren to Allen, March 12, 1813
- 24. Kizell to Allen, June 3, 1813
- 25. Friendly Society (Warren) to Allen, June 20, 1813
- 26. Kizell to Clarkson, May 1813
- 27. Allen to Warren, Aug 15, 1813
- 28. Friendly Society (James Reed/VP) to Allen, Nov. 10, 1813
- 29. Cuffee to Allen, Aug. 11, 1813
- 30. Cuffee to Allen, Sept. 28, 1813
- 31. Allen to Friendly Society, May 25, 1814
- 32. Allen to Kizell, May 27, 1814
- 33. Allen to Wise, May 28, 1814
- 34. Friendly Society to Allen, 4 Feb. 4, 1814
- 35. Kizell to Allen, Feb. 14, 1814
- 36. Wise to Allen, April 5, 1814
- 37. Kizell to Allen, April 1814
- 38. Duncan Campbell to Allen, March 1814
- 39. Stephen Gabbidon to Allen, June 12, 1814
- 40. Gabbidon and Tharpe to Allen, June 20, 1814
- 41. Wise to Allen, July 3, 1814
- 42. Friendly Society (Wise) to Allen, July 3, 1814
- Place made
- London, England, United Kingdom, Europe
- Place used
- London, England, United Kingdom, Europe
- Cultural Place
- Sierra Leone, West Africa, Africa
- Classification
- Slavery and Freedom Objects
- Documents and Manuscripts
- Movement
- Anti-slavery movements
- Colonization movement
- Type
- ledgers (account books)
- letters
- Topic
- Africa
- Antislavery
- Correspondence
- Free communities of color
- Social reform
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of GSK
- Object number
- 2017.45
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




