Broadsides are ephemeral in nature but can often provide unique snapshots into the lives of enslaved people. These documents were often publicly displayed or circulated and the Rubenstein Library has a number of broadsides from the 17-19th centuries. One will find instances of slave sales and auctions, runaway notifications, estate inventories, manumission records, and occasionally illustrations. There are also many broadsides that highlight the anti-slavery movement, abolitionist meetings, and creative writing speaking out against slavery. However, these documents are not always individually cataloged with full descriptions, and there is a subsection that only organized by state.
The Rubenstein Library has collected a number of broadsides and collated them based on the state of origin. These artifacts are not individually catalogued, but are arranged by date. It is advised that researchers survey each box for the state(s) of interest to locate materials related to the period of slavery.
Kentucky broadside collection, 1810-1944
Maryland broadside collection, 1776-1859
Massachusetts broadside collection, 1740-1945
Mississippi broadside collection, 1804-1939
Missouri broadside collection, 1833-1942
New Hampshire broadside collection, 1800-1905
New York broadside collection, 1802-1868
North Carolina broadside collection, 1775-1987
Ohio broadside collection, 1820-1919
Pennsylvania broadside collection, 1784-1860
Pennsylvania broadside collection, 1861-1946
South Carolina broadside collection, 1780-1870
Tennessee broadside collection, 1861-1920
Virginia broadside collection, 1702-1965
The Duke Digital Repository contains collections materials that have been digitized by the Duke University Libraries. These materials are accessible here. There are a few search terms that might be helpful in browsing and identifying items for research.
Search term - "Slavery"
Search term - "Anti-Slavery"
Search term - "Abolition"
