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Frederick Douglass Letter to Samuel D. Porter, 1861 April 16

1 folder
Creator:
Douglass, Frederick (1818-1895)
Collection Creator:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections
Dates:
1861 April 16
Located In:
Box B-002091, Folder 1
Extent:
1 folder
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

A one-page, signed letter from Frederick Douglass to abolitionist Samuel D. Porter, Rochester, April 16, 1861 on the coming of the Civil War and end of slavery. Per a request Porter had made, the letter includes an extract from a letter by John Brown that Douglass affixed below his signature that reads, "our own faults; & follies."

Biography:

Douglass

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was an African American abolitionist, social reformer, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became one of the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement in the United States, fighting to end slavery in the decades prior to the American Civil War. Douglass later served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for African Americans.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Acquisition:

Purchased in December 2022 from 19th Century Rare Books (Luxury Catalogs Inc.) (AM 2024-054).

Credit this material:

Frederick Douglass Letter to Samuel D. Porter; Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions, C1771, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-002091
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Processing Information

Item processed and described by Faith Charlton in May 2024, using description provided by the dealer.

Custodial History

The enclosure the letter came in from the dealer notes that the letter was from the library of W.S.R.

Topics:
Civil War (United States, 1861-1865)
Subject Terms:
Abolitionists -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- Correspondence
African American abolitionists. -- 19th century -- Correspondence

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

A one-page, signed letter from Frederick Douglass to abolitionist Samuel D. Porter, Rochester, April 16, 1861 on the coming of the Civil War and end of slavery. Per a request Porter had made, the letter includes an extract from a letter by John Brown that Douglass affixed below his signature that reads, "our own faults; & follies."

Collection History

Acquisition:

Purchased in December 2022 from 19th Century Rare Books (Luxury Catalogs Inc.) (AM 2024-054).

Custodial History

The enclosure the letter came in from the dealer notes that the letter was from the library of W.S.R.

Appraisal

No material was separated during processing.

Processing Information

Item processed and described by Faith Charlton in May 2024, using description provided by the dealer.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Frederick Douglass Letter to Samuel D. Porter; Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions, C1771, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-002091