Happy Birthday George Washington! This framed wax bust of Washington was created by Patience Lovell Wright (1725-1786). Wright was widowed in 1769 and needed a way to support her children. With her sister, also a widow, she set up a business creating wax portraits. In 1783 Wright wrote to John Jay of her intention to…

Stephen and Harriet Myers, former slaves themselves, ran the Underground Railroad office in Albany, NY, and worked directly with John Jay II in their efforts to bring runaway slaves to freedom. We have three letters from 1860 in our collection from the Myerss that speak to Jay’s relationship with the couple and dedication to their…

This print of the Marquis de Lafayette was engraved by Noel Le Mire (1724-1800) after a painting by Jean Baptiste le Paon (1736-1785). It depicts the famous French General with his aide, and spy, James Armistead. Armistead was a key operative for Lafayette during the later years of the Revolution, working as a double agent….

William Jay collected hundreds of abolitionist pamphlets and bound them in 19 volumes. As a member of the Executive Committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society, one of William’s responsibilities was to review publications for accuracy, which is likely how he acquired many of these.  The Slavery Volumes include articles written by William, and several other prominent abolitionists, including…