AMALGAMATION WHIG TICKET.: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A broadside from the 1838 New York governor election with an anti-Whig party message criticizing the Whig candidates’ platform that included advancing rights for African Americans. The campaign poster features a center illustration of a Black man and a white woman walking together, with the title of the broadside [AMALGAMATION WHIG TICKET.] printed in large, bold font across the top in black ink. Underneath the title is a quote from candidate Luther Bradish reading ["I think there should be no distinctions on account of COMPLEXION. -- Luther Bradish.]. In the shading behind the man's feet are the initials [J.W. Orr.] Printed vertically on either side of the illustration are the names of Whig party members and the offices they are seeking. Printed underneath the illustration is a message satirically addressing Black voters, using derogatory language and stereotypical vernacular, encouraging them to vote for the Whig party. The broadside is matted and framed in a black wooden frame. The paper of the broadside has minor staining around the edges and where it was previously folded.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1838
• Illustrated by: John William Orr, Irish, 1815 - 1887
• Subject of: William Henry Seward, American, 1801 - 1872
• Subject of: Luther Bradish, American, 1783 - 1863
• Subject of: Henry Hawkins, American, 1790 - 1845
• Subject of: Thomas Kempshall, English, 1796 - 1865
• Subject of: William Samuel Bishop, American, 1804 - 1863
• Subject of: John P Stull, 1800 - 1900
• Subject of: Henry P. Norton, 1800 - 1900
• Type: broadsides
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W x D (frame): 31 1/2 × 23 × 1 in. (80 × 58.4 × 2.5 cm)
• Place depicted: Rochester, Monroe County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Advertising
• Topic: Antislavery
• Topic: Caricature and cartoons
• Topic: Political organizations
• Topic: Politics
• Topic: Race relations
• Topic: Segregation
• Object number: 2024.48
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.