African American Museum of Philadelphia

 

Title: Letter from Cato, Freeman’s Journal

Year: September 21, 1781

Material: Paper

Creator: Cato, a Pennsylvania Slave

Collection: The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Seen at the African American Museum of Philadelphia

This object is a letter sent to the Freeman’s Journal Newspaper from a slave named Cato. Cato was writing to urge the Pennsylvania Assembly to uphold the Gradual Emancipation Act. The Act freed slaves who weren’t registered according to the law’s provisions. The Assembly rescinded the Act, which returned those freed back to bondage. Cato was one of the slaves that were freed by the law.

This object is important to a variety of people. Anyone interested in early American history or the history of slavery would find this object important. This object is also important to the history of the Pennsylvania government as well as the federal government. It is also important to the African American community as a stance against slavery and injustice.

This object is on display because it details an event in early American and Pennsylvania history that deals with the issue of slavery. This object is an image of the original so the museum only acquired permission to use the image. It is part of a larger multi-media exhibit. The object is displayed among multiple images of notable African Americans and important documents. This particular object is at the left end or the beginning of the timeline since it was written in 1781. During portions of the multi-media “show” the document is illuminated to discuss a theme. There is a text panel with a small picture of the document next to it. The text is written from the point of view of the museum, but through an African American voice. The text expresses how slaveholders (whites) opposed the law. The text also directly quotes Cato, which gives his personal perspective as an African slave. The images surrounding the object highlight other parts of the African American story in Philadelphia. They don’t all directly relate, but they create a broader picture of the historical timeline.

This object may not be interesting to people who aren’t interested in early Pennsylvania history or people who aren’t interested in reading about slavery. Opposing points of view for this object might include Cato’s master. He would have direct and opposing opinions about the content of Cato’s letter. I think that other area newspapers might have had some opposition viewpoints as well. Obviously the views of the slaves differed from everyone else.

Fields of study for this object might include: American history, African American history, Pennsylvania history, Philadelphia history, Late revolutionary history, history of slavery, history of newspapers, and history of letters to the editor.

I would like to compare this letter to other letters slaves or former slaves wrote to a paper. This would include comparing the issues discussed and what the context of the subject is. There is another letter from 1780 that might be interesting to compare. 

It might also be interesting to do a classroom activity where kids were assigned a slave narrative/letter that they would read to the class and discuss the point of view and feelings of that person.

Letters of interest

 

Exchange between “Rusticus” and “Africanus,” 

in Gazette of the United States, March 3, 1790.