The Miscegenation Ball
date: label: Date made
content: 1864
name: label: copyright holder; distributor
content: Bromley & Co.
label: maker
content: Kimmel and Forster
label: artist
content: Thomas, Henry Atwell
notes: label: Description
content: This hand-colored print depicts a highly fictionalized account of a Republican campaign event dance that occurred at the Lincoln Central Campaign Club in New York Sept. 22, 1864. This was the second anniversary of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The caption at the bottom of the work swears that the event is accurately portrayed in the above illustration, and certifys " there were many of the accredited leaders of the Black Republican party. These high level Republican leaders, all "prominent men," are shown vigorously dancing, conversing, and fraternizing with fashionably dressed black women. Presumably the men peering in from the roof skylights are the reporters from the anti-Lincoln <i> New York World</i>. No white women are present in the scene and Lincoln supporters seated on the sides of the room are seen kissing and scandalously embracing black women. Northern Democrats opposed abolition by playing upon fears of widespread miscegenation, or racial mixing, that they argued would inevitably occur if Lincoln were re-elected to a second term which resulted in this propaganda print. A campaign banner reading, “Universal Freedom / One Constitution / One Destiny / Abraham Lincoln Pre..st” hangs above the proceedings. This banner and portrait of Lincoln on the wall suggested to viewers that his re-election and racial mixing went hand-in-hand.
label: Description
content: The series of prints critical of potential miscegenation were initially published in a New York daily newspaper, The World. When the paper was established in 1860, it was religiously orientated, and supported Lincoln’s policies. After losing money, however, it was sold to a group of New York City Democrats, who openly attacked Lincoln after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Known for printing falsified information and accounts, the paper was temporarily shut down in 1864 and it's editor Manton Marble arrested after publishing a report that Lincoln planned to draft 500,000 to 400,000 more men for the Union armies through a forged presidential order
label: Description
content: The print was the fourth, last, and largest in a series of anti-Lincoln prints by New York lithographers Kimmel & Forster, published by Bromley & Company. Christopher Kimmel was born in Germany around 1850 and after immigrating to the United States, was active in New York City from 1850 to 1876. He was part of Capewell & Kimmel from 1853 to 1860, and then partnered with Thomas Forster in 1865, forming the lithography firm of Kimmel & Forster, which was active until 1871. Although this print offers a harsh criticism of Lincoln, it was most likely produced as a commission, since the firm produced several prints and a series celebrating the President after his death.
label: Description
content: The signature in the lower right corner of the illustration reveals that this scene was imagined by the artist Henry Atwell Thomas (1834-1904), who specialized in lithography of the American theatre, which accounts for the work’s dramatic imagery. In the lower left corner, the print includes an advertisement for publisher, copyright holder, and distributer, G.W. Bromley & Co.. Black and white copies were sold through the mail for 25 cents and hand colored copies cost 34 cents. Copies could be purchased at discount prices if purchasing multiples of 5, 50, or 100.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: African American
label: Subject
content: Courtship, love
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1860-1869
label: Subject
content: Adornment
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: Dancing
label: Subject
content: Music
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
label: Subject
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: referenced
content: Civil War
label: related event
content: Civil War
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: American Civil War Prints
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content: Art
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content: Domestic Furnishings
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.3341
label: catalog number
content: 60.3341
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ink (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: image: 12 5/8 in x 20 1/2 in; 32.0675 cm x 52.07 cm