1874
Maker: Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper
Antique black and white page of engraved illustrations, sketched by Aaron P. Thompson, showing views of the Battle of Liberty Place, or Battle of Canal Street, an attempted insurrection by the white supremacist paramilitary White League against the Reconstruction era Louisiana Republican state government which took place on September 14, 1874. This page of prints was published in the October 3, 1874 edition of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, and the captions seem to indicate that the newspaper was sympathetic to the white supremacists. The captions are "Citizen Erecting A Barricade of Street-Cars and Bill-Boards on Canal Street," "Mr. R. H. Marr Addressing the White Citizens at the St. Charles Hotel," "The Metropolitan Police Attacking Citizens on the Levee Near the Custom House," "Sharpshooters Behind Cotton Bales," "White Citizens Tearing off the Uniforms of Disguised "Metropolitans"" (The scare quoted phrase here being used to denigrate the pictured black citizens,) "The Surrender of the State House to the White League," "Citizens' Mass Meeting in Canal Street, Around the Clay Monument," and "Attack of the Citizens on the Parish Prison." Governor William Pitt Kellogg wired Ulysses S. Grant to send federal troops, and the white supremacist group retreated prior to their arrival. Very good antique condition with mild toning of the paper throughout, some spots of very minor foxing/soiling, and some very mild wrinkling/creasing of the paper in areas. Page measures 15.5" x 23" overall.
Genuine Antique Print from 1874
Item Number: OTH508