<I>Coalition Rule in Danville</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1883
name: label: Published by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: William Mahone, 1826 - 1895
label: Signed by
content: W. T. Clark
label: Signed by
content: James W. Bruce
label: Signed by
content: C. M. Hendrick
label: Signed by
content: J. G. Covington
label: Signed by
content: Redd & Jordan
label: Signed by
content: Daniel Coleman
label: Signed by
content: J. E. Schoolfield
label: Signed by
content: A. G. Fuller
label: Signed by
content: Hamlin & Hinton
label: Signed by
content: C. H. Norton
label: Signed by
content: George A. Lee
label: Signed by
content: Gravely & Burton
label: Signed by
content: J. B. Westerbrooks
label: Signed by
content: Thomas L. Poindexter & Son
label: Signed by
content: Ruffin, Woolfolk & Blair
label: Signed by
content: John W. Holland
label: Signed by
content: William P. Graves
label: Signed by
content: J. M. Covington
label: Signed by
content: R. B. Graham & Bro.
label: Signed by
content: S. H. Holland
label: Signed by
content: E. L. & A. Gerst
label: Signed by
content: Morotock Manufacturing Co
label: Signed by
content: Booth, Wooding & Booth
label: Signed by
content: Estes & Wooding
label: Signed by
content: W. N. Shelton
label: Signed by
content: Lee & Jordan
label: Signed by
content: Harry Walker
label: Signed by
content: Ed. S. Ragland
notes: label: Caption
content: In 1879 the Readjuster Party, a coalition of Black and white Republicans, won control of the Virginia legislature. Democrats in Danville, where Readjusters led the city council, circulated this pamphlet in 1883 describing interracial government as a threat to white supremacy. The circular inflamed racial tensions and led to the Readjusters’ defeat.
label: Description
content: A pamphlet copy, black print on paper, of "Coalition Rule in Danville," a published letter commonly referred to as "The Danville Circular." The letter is addressed to "the Citizens of the Southwest and Valley of Virginia," and signed in type by 28 businessmen of Danville. The document makes general complaints of the presence of African Americans in local politics; the dominance of the local Readjuster Party, which included African Americans in the governing coalition; and the behavior of African Americans in the streets of Danville, Virginia. Specific complaints include "the injustice and humiliation to which our white people have been subjected and are daily undergoing by the domination and misrule of the radical or negro party" and that "Out of nine policemen--four negroes were chosen--something before that time unknown to the history of the town... Of the 24 stalls and stands at the market place, 20 are rented out by the council to the negroes... It is a very common practice for the negroes who are employed about our houses to allude to white ladies and gentlemen as men and women." Black residents and children are portrayed as an unfair tax burden on white residents, and the creation of city council wards is presented as a power grab on behalf of the Black population. The document alleges plans to permanently usurp white political power by incorporating the settlement of Jacksonville into the town charter. The screed ends by calling for the election of Conservative-Democratic candidates for the legislature. Four printed pages on one folded sheet. Minor wear and stains overall.
place: label: Place depicted
content: Danville, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: Race relations
label: Topic
content: Race riots
label: Topic
content: Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
label: Topic
content: White supremacy movements
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2019.28.38.2
objectType: label: Type
content: circular letters
label: Type
content: pamphlets
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper (fiber product)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 18 1/8 × 5 13/16 in. (46 × 14.8 cm)