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Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects

African Correspondence

1811-1815

London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A leather-bound ledger entitled, “African Correspondence” owned by William Allen. The ledger contains handwritten copies of letter written and received by Allen as well as other documents copied by Allen. The leather is in poor condition, with the spine almost completely detached and very fragmentary. The cover has numerous areas of loss and damage. There is a dark red label at the top of the spine with the volume’s title. The pastedown pages are blue marbled paper. On the front pastedown page there is a name plate with the text, “John Williams / Patent Acco’ Book Manufacturer & / Stationer / Royal Family Public Offices [illegible] / 20 Cornhill London.” There is also a modern barcode affixed to the bottom left corner that reads “002789.” The book has tabbed pages, labeled A-Z and printed in alternating red and black ink.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2017.45

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