NB The term "negro" was used historically to describe people of black (sub-Saharan) African heritage but, since the 1960s, has fallen from usage and, increasingly, is considered offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context.
The image on the front of this bag comes from an engraving by Samuel Lines which was included in the <font -u>Album of the Female Society for Birmingham etc., for the Relief of British Negro Slaves</font -u>, published in about 1825.
This bag was produced and sold by the Female Society for Birmingham, the first and most important female abolitionist group in Britain. It was previously known as the Ladies Society for the Relief of Negro Slaves. The bag was probably intended as a sewing work-bag. Abolitionist women set up sewing circles where objects decorated with abolitionist emblems were produced. The image of the black slave mother with her child printed on the front of this bag was one of a series commissioned specifically by the Society for distribution in albums and on their propaganda merchandise. Another bag in the V&A's collection is printed with another image from the series. The significance of this image of a mother is that it countered the common stereotype of the time of black women as licentious and lustful, and therefore tempters of owners and overseers, or at least the architects of their own abuse at the hands of owners and overseers. These images were very successful in encouraging an emotional enagagement with the plight of slave women, but in the long term passive stereotypes such as these were very detrimental in the struggle against racism.
ecrm:P3_has_note
NB The term "negro" was used historically to describe people of black (sub-Saharan) African heritage but, since the 1960s, has fallen from usage and, increasingly, is considered offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context.
The image on the front of this bag comes from an engraving by Samuel Lines which was included in the <font -u>Album of the Female Society for Birmingham etc., for the Relief of British Negro Slaves</font -u>, published in about 1825.
This bag was produced and sold by the Female Society for Birmingham, the first and most important female abolitionist group in Britain. It was previously known as the Ladies Society for the Relief of Negro Slaves. The bag was probably intended as a sewing work-bag. Abolitionist women set up sewing circles where objects decorated with abolitionist emblems were produced. The image of the black slave mother with her child printed on the front of this bag was one of a series commissioned specifically by the Society for distribution in albums and on their propaganda merchandise. Another bag in the V&A's collection is printed with another image from the series. The significance of this image of a mother is that it countered the common stereotype of the time of black women as licentious and lustful, and therefore tempters of owners and overseers, or at least the architects of their own abuse at the hands of owners and overseers. These images were very successful in encouraging an emotional enagagement with the plight of slave women, but in the long term passive stereotypes such as these were very detrimental in the struggle against racism.