Riot in Richmond, May 11, 1867—The Soldiers Dispersing the Mob
African Americans, race relations, violence
In the spring of 1867, Richmond was a city filled with tension and a fight between African Americans and city policemen, who were described as former Confederates, broke out on the afternoon of May 11. United States Army troops dispersed the crowds, which is the scene depicted in this engraving. Federal judge John C. Underwood and Horace Greeley urged calm in their remarks at First African Baptist Church the following day.
<em>Harper's Weekly</em>, June 1, 1867, p. 341
Harper and Brothers
May 1867
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Engraving
16_0003_001
Richmond, Virginia
Southampton County Poll List, 2d Magisterial District, 1st Precinct
African Americans, suffrage
For decades, Virginia localities kept separate registers for African American and white voters. These registers are for Southampton County and record the African Americans and whites who voted at the first precinct of the second magisterial district during the election held on July 6, 1869. That day 94 percent of white registered voters in Southampton turned out and overwhelmingly approved the new constitution and elected Conservative Party candidates to the legislature.
Secretary of the Commonwealth, General Election Records, 1867, 1869, Southampton County, Accession 50706, State Government Records Collection,
July 6, 1869
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Printed form and manuscript
15_1072_010, 15_1072_011
Southampton County, Virginia
Practical Illustration of the Virginia Constitution (So-Called)
African Americans, politics, race relations
Opponents of the constitution produced this political broadside to frighten white Virginians into voting against ratification of the constitution by spreading fears that African Americans would be able to beat white children in the new public schools or serve as jurors in trials involving white ladies and gentlemen.
Broadside 1867 P89 FF, Library of Virginia, Prints and Photographs Division
ca. 1868-1869
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Broadside
10_0725_21
Virginia
Staunton Vindicator-Coalition Rule in Danville
African Americans, politics, race relations, violence
Early in the 1880s African Americans held public offices in the city of Danville. During this time, a biracial coalition known as the Readjuster Party had won control of the General Assembly and the statewide offices. A circular letter published with the <em>Staunton Vindicator</em> before the 1883 general election voiced the racial attitudes common among white Virginians at the time and fueled resentment at what many of them regarded, inaccurately and unfairly, as African American domination of Virginia's society and government. Danville's white residents appealed to people elsewhere in Virginia to vote for Democrats in order to defeat the Readjusters and end what they described as the "misrule of the radical or negro party."
Special supplement to the <em>Staunton Vindicator</em>, Broadside 1882 S89 FF, Library of Virginia, Prints and Photographs Division
<em>Staunton Vindicator</em>
ca. 1883
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Broadside
10_0926_001_(1882.S89_FF)
Danville, Virginia
Fires at Petersburg, Virginia-Ruins of the Colored Baptist Church of Harrison Street
African Americans, religion, violence, race relations
Early in the morning of May 1, 1866, fires damaged several African American churches in Petersburg, including the Sunday school building adjacent to one of them. Many white Virginians feared that the schools would become hotbeds of radical Republicanism.
<em>Harper's Weekly</em>, May 19, 1866, p. 317
Harper and Brothers
May 1, 1866
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Engraving
15_1076_003 Pbg church
Petersburg, Virginia
Segregated School Districts, Jefferson Township School Census Map
African Americans, education, race relations
Virginia's public school system required racial segregation. In drawing up districts for Alexandria County (later Arlington County), the mapmaker drew what looks like a badly gerrymandered voting district with each dwelling designated as W ("white") or C ("colored"). Jefferson Township was located near what is now Crystal City and the 14th Street Bridge connecting Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Alexandria County Superintendent of Schools Records, 1851-1920, Alexandria/Arlington County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
1870
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
<a title="Alexandria Superintendent of Schools Records" href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=lva/vi04272.xml" target="_blank">Finding Aid</a> to Alexandria County Superintendent of Schools Records.
JPG
Manuscript drawing
11_0080_001 Segregated districts Plat
Alexandria, Virginia
Article of Agreement between Catharine T. Cate and B. L. Johns
African Americans, labor, race relations
In this contract, Catharine L. Cate agreed to work as a cook for B. J. Johns for the rate of $5 per month along with lodging and rations ("found"). They agreed that any changes to the contract would be made before a local Freedmen's Bureau agent, which was one of the duties agents undertook in helping the freedpeople find employment.
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
August 21, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Manuscript
15_0732_002, Catharine Cate agreement_1865_transcription_15_0732_002.pdf
Lunenburg County, Virginia
Labor Agreement between William H. Eubank and his Laborers
African Americans, labor, race relations
On January 1, 1866, William H. Eubank hired African Americans Bob, David, George, Patrick, Louisa, and Susan to farm his land for the ensuing year. The labor contract specified what Eubank would pay each of them and that he supplied lodging and rations for them and clothing for some of the women and their children. The labor contract required the workers to rise by dawn and be at work by sunrise. It allowed them one hour for dinner each day and required them to be polite and obedient and to labor at the direction of the landowner or his agent. The agreement also imposed restrictions on when the workers could leave the plantation or receive visitors. If any of the workers violated any provisions of the contract, he or she forfeited all benefits for the year.
William H. Eubank
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
January 1, 1866
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Manuscript
15_0732_012, 15_0732_012a
Lunenburg County, Virginia
Article of Agreement between William D. Floyd and Susan Burnett, Fannie Burnett, Betsy Burnett, Julia Burnett, Dick Burnett, and Ellen Burnett
African Americans, labor, race relations
This November 1865 contract between William D. Floyd, of Lunenburg County, and six members of the Burnett family is a fairly typical agreement by which a landowner allowed workers to farm his land in exchange of a share of the crop that the workers produced. It contains a penalty clause if Floyd or any of the workers failed to fulfill his or her part of the agreement. The final provision of the contract allowed the parties to appeal to the Freedmen's Bureau to annul the labor contract. Many such contracts contained similar language, indicating that agents of the bureau often took part in negotiating labor agreements.
William D. Floyd
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
November 28, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Printed form and manuscript
15_0732_004
Lunenburg County, Virginia
Article of Agreement between William Arvin Jr., and Nancy Arvin
African Americans, labor, race relations
In December 1865 Nancy Arvin contracted with William Arvin Jr., possibly her former owner, to care for his farm for a suit of summer and winter clothing for her and three of her children and for wages for two of her other children. In the aftermath of the Civil War, suitable clothing could be hard to come by and labor contracts sometimes included clothing as part of the laborer's remuneration.
William Arvin Jr.
Lunenburg County Freedmen's Contracts, 1865-1866, Lunenburg County Court Records, Local Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
December 5, 1865
Library of Virginia
CC BY-SA
JPG
Manuscript
15_0732_005, William Arvin agreement_1865_transcription_15_0732_005.pdf
Lunenburg County, Virginia