Heroes of the Colored Race

Creator Name

Joseph Hoover

Cultural Context

American

Date

1880s

Source

National Portrait Gallery;
Smithsonian Institution

About the work

Curationist Object Description

Four scenes illustrate significant contributions made by African Americans and surround portraits of prominent figures who fought for equality in United States history. These scenes show how African Americans labored, fought, learned, and were civically engaged in the nineteenth century. Though the prominent figures pictured here are of men, many women including Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Maria W. Stewart, Henrietta Purvis, Harriet Forten Purvis, Sarah Remond, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony were among those who advanced civil rights for African Americans.

Work details

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Title

Heroes of the Colored Race

Creator

Joseph Hoover, Lithographer

Joseph Hoover, 1830 - 1913, Artist;
Frederick Douglass, Feb 1818 - 20 Feb 1895, Sitter;
Blanche Kelso Bruce, 1841 - 1898, Sitter;
Hiram Rhoades Revels, 27 Sep 1827 - 16 Jan 1901, Sitter;
John Roy Lynch, 10 Sep 1847 - 2 Nov 1939, Sitter;
Robert Smalls, 5 Apr 1839 - 23 Feb 1915, Sitter;
Joseph Hayne Rainey, 21 Jun 1832 - 2 Aug 1887, Sitter;
Charles Edmund Nash, 23 May 1844 - 21 Jun 1913, Sitter;
John Brown, 9 May 1800 - 2 Dec 1859, Sitter

Worktype

Lithograph

Print; Prints

Cultural Context

American

Material

Paper; Ink

Chromolithograph (hand colored) on paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 55.9 x 74.8 cm (22 x 29 7/16")

Technique

Chromolithography

Language

English

Date

1880s

Provenance

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Credit Line: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Style Period

Rights

CC0

Inscription

Location

Philadelphia; Pennsylvania

North America; United States; North America; United States; North America; United States; North America; United States; North America; United States; Louisiana

Source

National Portrait Gallery;
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery

Subjects

Battle; Flag; Abolition; Slavery; Plantation; Student; African Americans; Eagle; Cotton; Equality; Figure; Teaching; Politicians; Man; Black people

Poster; Hiram Rhoades Revels: Male; Hiram Rhoades Revels: Politics and Government\US Senator\Mississippi; Hiram Rhoades Revels: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy\Pastor; Hiram Rhoades Revels: Politics and Government\State Senator\Mississippi; Frederick Douglass: Male; Frederick Douglass: Literature\Writer; Frederick Douglass: Education and Scholarship\Educator\Lecturer; Frederick Douglass: Journalism and Media\Newspaper publisher; Frederick Douglass: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Minister; Frederick Douglass: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Abolitionist; Frederick Douglass: Society and Social Change\Enslaved person; Blanche Kelso Bruce: Male; Blanche Kelso Bruce: Politics and Government\US Senator; John Roy Lynch: Male; John Roy Lynch: Law and Law Enforcement\Lawyer; John Roy Lynch: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer; John Roy Lynch: Natural Resource Occupations\Agriculturist\Farmer; John Roy Lynch: Politics and Government\US Congressman\Mississippi; John Roy Lynch: Visual Arts\Artist\Photographer; John Roy Lynch: Politics and Government\State Legislator\Mississippi; John Roy Lynch: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Real estate agent; John Roy Lynch: Law and Law Enforcement\Justice of the Peace; John Roy Lynch: Society and Social Change\Enslaved person; John Brown: Male; John Brown: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Abolitionist; Joseph Hayne Rainey: Male; Joseph Hayne Rainey: Politics and Government\US Congressman\South Carolina; Robert Smalls: Male; Robert Smalls: Politics and Government\State Legislator\South Carolina; Robert Smalls: Politics and Government\US Congressman\South Carolina; Robert Smalls: Politics and Government\State Senator\South Carolina; Charles Edmund Nash: Male; Charles Edmund Nash: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Civil War army officer\Union army officer; Charles Edmund Nash: Politics and Government\State Legislator\Louisiana; Portrait; Business and Finance; Legislators; Real estate agent; Art; Writers; Pastor; Businessperson; Civil War army officer; Reformers; Abolitionists; Military and Intelligence; Justice of the Peace; Diplomats; Clergy; Minister; Enslaved person; Natural Resource Occupations; Literature; Farmers; Congressmen; Newspaper publisher; Government; Diplomacy; Society and social change; Portraits; Union army officer; Lawyers; Lecturer; Educators; Law and Law Enforcement; Agriculturists; Religion and Spirituality; Men; Photographer; Senators; Politics; Education and Scholarship; Journalism and Media; Artists; Officer

Topic

Abolition and Women's Rights

Curationist Metadata Contributors

Christina Stone

All Works in Curationist’s archives can be reproduced and used freely. How to attribute this Work:

Joseph Hoover, Heroes of the Colored Race, 1881. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Idealized scenes depict how African Americans labored, fought, learned, and were civically engaged in the nineteenth century. CC0.

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