Browse Items (45 total)
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"Adress on Woman's Rights," The National Anti-Slavery Standard, Sep 16, 1852
"Address on Woman's Rights," adopted by The Woman's Rights convention assembled a week earlier and printed here in The National Anti-Slavery Standard, includes an argument against restricting women to the private sphere and limiting them to such…
"Bridgeport Gleanings," The Boston Advocate, Aug 28, 1886
An example of the column "Bridgeport Gleanings" in The Boston Advocate where the readers are informed about social and political affairs, religious events, and news about prominent members in the community. In this particular instance, the column…
"Chit-Chat," Sentinel, Jan 7, 1882
An example of the gossip column "Chit-Chat," containing short entries reporting about multiple individuals of note.
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Readex: African American Newspapers
"Gossiping," National Anti-Slavery Standard, Apr 22, 1841
This article is a social commentary about gossip, where the author believes that "[t]he most prevailing fault of conversation in our country, and, I believe in all social communities, is gossiping."
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Readex: African American Newspapers
"Is It Anybody's Business?" The Boston Advocate, Aug 21, 1886
A sociocritical poem written by an anonymous author about gossip.
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My Heritage (via Boston Public Library)
"Letter from Grace Greenwood," The North Star, Jan 15, 1852
This is an example of circulation of Grace Greenwood's letters, reprinted from the Era in The North Star. Greenwood writes about her stay at the Irving House, where she encounters Governor-President of Hungary, Lajos Kossuth.
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19th Century…
"Male Gossips," The Christian Recorder, Jun 7, 1862
This article argues that although "[t]he world, especially the masculine part of it, has always had a great deal to say about female gossips" and it is "doubtless" that women are "good talkers," men also gossip and the author confirms the existence…
"Miss Edmonia Lewis at Florence," Commonwealth, Oct 21, 1865
This short article in the column "Artistic" reports the arrival of Edmonia Lewis in Florence through Paris. It adds that she has been received well by other expats and friends, except from one lady from Boston who "declined to received her, --…
"Our Literary Women" and "Personal," The Freeman, Jan 5, 1889
This excerpt from The Freeman shows, on the left, a feature on "The Literary Colored Women of America" written by Gertrude Mossell (including illustrations of Josephine Heard, Ida B. Wells, Mary Ella Mossell, and Francis Ellen Watkins Harper) and, on…
"Our Woman's Department," New York Freeman, Jan 9, 1886
This is an exemple of of Gertrude Mossell's "Our Woman's Department," written for New York Freeman, one of the earliest advice columns specifically dedicated to Black women. Above each version, Mossell informs her readers that this column "will be…
"Personal and Pertinent" and "Wants Woman's Department," New York Age, 23 Feb. 1889
This page from The New York Age contains a letter to the editor by a female reader who would like to see Getrude Mossell's column "Woman's Department" made a permanent feature of the newspaper. Under "Personal and Pertinent," readers find short…
"Social News," The Woman's Era, March 24, 1894
Example of the regular column "Social News," edited by Irene DeMortie and Marion Ridley for The Woman's Era. "Published by Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed nationally between 1894 and 1897" (Emory), The Woman's Era…
"Some Interesting Facts," Colored American Magazine, July 1, 1902
This opinion piece written by Cyrus Field Adams about racial mixing states that "[i]t is common gossip in the South that many of the leading families have a strain of Negro blood in their veins." This statement is backed up by the author's intimate…
"Some Race Doings," Cleveland Gazette, March 23, 1889
Reprint from The New York Age in Cleveland Gazette, here given the headline "Some Race Doings," which offers a wide variety of news concerning prominent Black artists and writers – such as opera singer Madam Selika and gossip columnist (here called…
"Sonner Hurt Than Healed," The National Anti-Slavery Standard, Feb 25, 1854
In this anonymous account, the narrator warns her readers about asking for and relying on gossip when moving to a new neighborhood. She herself makes the mistake of inquiring about people she has met during her walks, when she dines with an old…
"The Careless Word," The Pine and Palm, May 15, 1862
A poem critical of gossip written by abolitionist, suffragist and poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper for The Pine and Palm.
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Readex: America's Historical Newspapers
Tags: black periodicals
"The Way of The World New School of Theology," Colored American Magazine, Dec 1, 1904
This column with three entries reports on: the re-election of EC Morris as the president of the National Baptist Convention, the largest religious organization among persons of color, at its Austin session; the establishment of the "Frederick Douglas…
"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Dec 18, 1886
In this edition of "They Say," Bert Islew informs her readers, among others,
"That society is complaining of ennui. That the Fraternals Ball will probably cure that."
"That two Iowa girls are successful paper hangers, and earn as high as $12.00…
"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Dec 4, 1886
Example of Lillian A. Lewis' society news column "They Say," written under her pseudonym "Bert Islew" for The Boston Advocate (and distinghuished as such from reprints from other publications through the sub-heading "specially reported for the…
"They Say," The Boston Advocate, Jan 1, 1887
In this edition of "They Say," Bert Islew informs her readers, among others,
"That a choice programme for the ADVOCATE Concert next Tuesday night is in preparation."
"That one of the young Boston boys is filling the position of stenographer and…
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Charlotte Cushman

Charlotte Cushman becomes widely known on both sides of the Atlantic as the first successful US-American actress. Earlier, she was a singer under the tutelage of James G. Maeder, married to actress Clara Fisher, in Boston. Charlotte has been the sole financial support of her mother since her father…