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Angel of the Waters
Most famous statue sculpted by Emma Stebbins.
Letter from Byron Smith to Unknown, Aug 31, 1894[?]
Talking of Charlotte Cushman, Emma Stebbins and Sallie Mercer, Smith mentions several letters and notes, among which are some that were destroyed by him. Byron also mentions Sallie Mercer's (recent?) death. CreditLibrary of Congress, Charlotte…
Miss Charlotte Cushman's Health - Letter to the Editor from Dr. Sims in The New York Times, Oct 3, 1869
Dr. James Marion Sims replies to an article of The New York Times of Oct 2, 1869, and feels entitled to comment on Charlotte Cushman's post-operation state of health and diagnosis without having treated her on this issue. (He had dismissed her health…
Excerpts from Fanny Seward's Diary, 1863-1864, Cushman mentions
Fanny Seward writes about meeting Charlotte Cushman and Emma Crow Cushman. Fanny is very fond of Charlotte who gives her a ring, books, and many insights into the world of the theater. Several theater managers try to convince Cushman to play for them…
Tags: admirers, Civil War, social capital
Letter from Frances Adeline Seward to William Henry Seward, June 18, 1865
Seward reached out to Cushman.
Credit
Seward Family Digital Archive
Letter from Frances Seward to Charlotte Cushman, Feb 18, 1867, probably relating to Ned Cushman's work as consul in Rome.
Credit
Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Tags: social capital
Kate Sanborn's Memories and Anecdotes (1915)
Prominent author Kate Sanborn (The Wit of Women, 1885) recollects a meeting with Harriet Hosmer in her memoirs. Together they reminisce about Hosmer’s friendships with the Brownings, Grace Greenwood, and Charlotte Cushman.
Credit
Internet Archive
Tags: gossip--published, humor, social capital
Mowatt's Autobiography of an Actress; or, Eight Years on the Stage (1854)
Mowatt is an actress that performs with/meets Susan and Charlotte Cushman as well as Macready. She serves as an example of annother actress carefully analyzing press coverage.
Credit
Hathi Trust
Reed's and Powell's Happy Women (1913)
A chapter praises the "first great American actress" who came to "immortal fame" as "genius." Cushman is described as dedicated to her work which brought her happiness after an early disappointment in love. She is characterized as a woman of honor,…
Tags: press coverage, social capital
Price's A Life of Charlotte Cushman (1894)
Credit
Nineteenth Century Collections Online
Tags: auto/biography
Letter from Helen L. D. Potter to Charlotte Cushman, October 3, 1871
Potentially a fan letter. A woman named Helen L. D. Potter informs Cushman that she will be at the theater for her next performance and asks to meet the actress. She seems afraid of what Cushman might think of this request, as she clarifies that she…
Tags: admirers
"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…
Letter from Sallie Mercer to Dennis Alward, Dec 26, 1884
Sallie Mercer grieves over Charlotte Cushman's death and shares fond memories of Cushman's "Angel's wings" and her smile. She reports family business of the Crows/Cushmans and writes about Christmas presents.
Credit
Houghton Library
Letter from Adeline Manning to Anne Whitney, Mar 12, 1876
Adeline manning, painter, writes to her partner Anne Whitney about Rev. Dr. Bartol's sermon on Charlotte Cushman (see also Emma Stebbins' memoir, p. 292-293)
Credit
Wellesley College Archives, Papers of Anne Whitney (MSS.4): Correspondence. 57.
Tags: public image (active)
Letter from Adeline Manning to Anne Whitney, Mar 2, 1876
Adeline Manning expresses to Anne Whitney her satisfaction about the posthumous praise of Charlotte Cushman. Credit
Wellesley College Archives, Papers of Anne Whitney (MSS.4): Correspondence. 56.
Macready's Diary – Cushman mentions (edited by Toynbee, 1912)
The diary entries depict an interesting dynamic between Macready's and Cushman's relationship. There is no diary entry from the beginning of January, 1844, when Cushman published her poem about Macready in the Anglo American Journal. Usually,…
Jennie Lorenz about Stebbins's Biography
Credit
Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
"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.
Credit
19th Century…
Letter from Grace Greenwood to Olive Risley, March 22, nd
Greenwood indicates that Olive Risley and she are old friends. Greenwood who is not in good health invites Risley to visit her soon
Credit
Hanson A. Risley Papers, 1774-1908, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
Tags: social capital
Featured Item
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…

